I will start with this, Owen hargreaves has too start for Man Utd week in week out. He has alot more ability than people give him credit for. Bought in as a centre defensive midfielder, he has shown me why Sven loved him and why bayern wanted to keep him so much. He has brilliant passing ability, a brilliant engine, he is fast, composed and is the nearest Utd player to beckham for crosses since he left. I would definately start him every match if fit. But where?. Centre midfield seems to be carrick & scholes, with Anderson coming in and doing a job. So for me it is right back, he gets forward, gets back, can cross the ball, and hardy ever gives away pocession. As for my other subject - Nani. Well, as tricky as he is and a good a dribbler as he is, he is greatly doing my head in week in, week out. I know he is young and Ronaldo was similar when he first arrived, apart from Ronaldo looked the part dribbling but it seems if he has a chance at goal, he will not pass that ball. On counter attacks he has options left and right and goes himself often missing the target all together. If and it is a big IF, If he passes the ball it ususally falls short anyway, his corners are herendous also, and his tempremant is pathetic. I can think of atleast three or four occasions this season where he has kicked out at opponents and tried to head butt them off the ball. Grow up, you play for Utd not Blackburn. So after my comments, my starting line up would be for the last games of the season - Wigan and Chelsea : V.Der Sar Hargreaves Vidic Ferdinand Evra Ronaldo Carrick Scholes Giggs Rooney Tevez subs : Fletcher Anderson Brown Nani O'Shea and i will tell you why - Rio and Vidic are amazing together, Evra is a great defender, as is hargreaves , ronaldo can cause chaos, carrick and scholes can rip teams apart with their passes, and giggs played brillinat yesterday when he came on and shown me he is still better than Nani. Rooney and Tevez upfront to run and run and provied more striking opitions if the midfield cant score.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** Nani's so shite that he made me come back and post for the first time in years. ********ing A - I couldn't believe he played so poorly v. Chels then got the start against Barca (injuries, I suppose) but yesterday was just pure AWESOME. Without the red card, Nani would've gotten to play more for United but not now!
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** My only issue on Hargreaves is his lack of a clean touch and his speed of play. When the ball is passed to him, you can guarantee its going to take two touches at least for him to get in under full control. His positional sense is a bit mediocre as well. If somehow Owen Hargreaves xould move the ball quicker than he does, complete more passess than he does, take less touches to control the ball, etc then I'd be all ofr him getting a start. But right now, RM or RB sure, but not at CM, whichi is sort of why we spent £17mil on him. If I were Fergie, this summer I would put Owen on an intense regime with Rene Mulensteen. Have him constantly work on his ball control and passing the ball quickly and accurately. The reason why he wasnt so out of place in Germany was becuse his role at Bayern was fairly simple compared to what we will ask him to do here. He is required to be a lot smarter, and contribute more to the offense here. As for Nani, I just take it you are venting. He will learn.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** YEAH, LET'S SELL NANI!! Seriously, he's one of the best crossers in the team and the boy will learn. Hargreaves is being slightly overrated lately as a RB at least...his positioning is awful and bad at closing down. He's more useful as a CM, to take the ball upfront like Anderson.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** Have you seen a United came this season? Do you realized how many direct goals or indirect goals we got off his corners?
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** He's without the shadow of a doubt the best corner taker we have at the club...
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** *sigh* Hargreaves cannot play multiple games in quick succession because of his patellar tendonitis. If you didn't know that then I don't hold out much hope for the rest of your post which is why I stopped reading.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** Well I think Fergie needs to leave Nani out of the side in CL Final. He needs to send a message to Nani, the rest of the players, and England that those type of antics won't be tolerated at United. Getting sent off in such a crucial match was stupid enough, but his antics after the head butt.. well enough said. And I don't want to hear about his age. The head butt although stupid, was a heat of the moment reaction. But the play acting afterward was an embarrassment to both the team and the supporters. That type of behavior occurs far too often throughout Europe. You wouldn't tolerate that from your 10 year old son would you? Then why would you tolerate it from a 21 year old professional?
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** Remind me. How long was Scholes benched by SAF after he tried to punch Alonzo last year (after he served the 3 game violent conduct suspension, I mean)? I suppose I can go back a year and read all the posts here asking for Scholes to be benched, and banned and fined etc etc, right? I realize that Scholes gets a pass when he does something moronically stupid because of all the wonderful things he's done. However, all the young players get a pass because they're uh, young. You know, less liable to retain their poise under pressure. Rooney? memorably stomped on Carvelho (sp?). Ronaldo many times -- headbutted someone this fall vs. Portsmouth. Tevez sometime recently playing for Argentina. Didn't Scholes get sent off twice last year? etc etc
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** I want to see Nani punished for what he did, but I don't want to see the kid destroyed either. I would argue leaving him out of the CL side would do just that. Thinking about your post brought about a question I have along the lines of punishment. Obviously, Nani can't play at Wigan Sunday. Should United win Sunday, does the suspension also mean he would not be allowed to go out on the pitch for the trophy presentation? Whether the match is over or not, he'd be a suspended player on the playing area. If he is not allowed, what would go through Nani's mind? Think about it -- You bust your ass in training and matches for the better part of 10 months, help the team win the league and because you lost your head the week before and did something amazingly stupid, you aren't allowed to join your mates in the celebration. If that doesn't further drive the point home, I'm not sure anything will.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** I think itd be mildly ridiculous if the suspension carried over onto post game celebrations, are the PL really that silly?
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** This guy: got a longer ban than this guy: . And then, got banned three games for a sending off IN A FRIENDLY. Point is, don't underestimate the FA's pedantry and stupidity.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** Yeah as soon as I typed that I realised how stupid they just can be....
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** 13 assists in total, our assist leader this season. A CL final is not the time to teach lessons and send messages, it's the time to field the strongest side you have. I'm not sure Nani would be a part of the strongest side we have, but, if he is, he should play.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** It's the antics after the head butt that compounded the event. Go back and read my post again. The head butt was a heat of the moment loss of control... just like your examples above. The antics afterward, separate the Nani incident from the incidents you describe above. Even before the event, I remember thinking Fergie needs to talk with Nani. In response to every foul called against him, he glared at the ref and threw his fist violently into the air. Somebody needs to straighten him out.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** Ever hear of something called integrity. I know it's a bit lacking in sports today, but it does exist. The most impressive display of Integrity I have ever seen from a Manger or Coach was from Lou Holtz back in the 70s when he was coaching Arkansas (American Football). They went into the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma as 4 touchdown underdogs. Well the day before the game, Holtz suspended his entire starting backfield for breaking curfew the night before. At that point the bookies stopped taking bets. Well Arkansas went out the next day and beat Oklahoma 34-6. That was integrity.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** I do see your point, I just disagree. Look, if Fergie did have rules like if you ever headbutt another player or play-act, you won't start, then he should enforce them. That would be a sign of integrity. He doesn't have those kind of rules, so it's not a question of integrity at all. Further, there's no point in taking away the offensive option which Nani brings in arguably the biggest game for the past 9 years when there are other reasonable ways to punish the player.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** Fergie should pick the best team, full stop. If that includes Nani, which it doesn't, then he should pick Nani. What Nani did was shameful and immature, but it will be sorted out. I'd be surprised if any of his teammates, in private, supported his behavior. What they may say to the media is inconsequential.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** I have a feeling some of the older players like Gary and Paul didn't approve of it, while some of the youngers one probably didn't really care too much.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** Why don't you say what you really mean, that some of the Brazilian and Portuguese ones didn't really care too much.
Re: Hargreaves Has Too Start, Nani Is A C*** He shouldn't start the Final anyways, as I think he's better coming off the bench.