Quotes from SAF at the Saha press conference; http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/3412371.stm "We are going to work with them [RVN, Saha] as a partnership and see how they respond to the challenge of playing with each other," said Ferguson. "The last really effective combination we had was the one between Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole that was so integral to winning the European Cup in 1999. Hopefully this one will be equally as successful. "Louis has different types of qualities to Ruud and I think they will do well together." This sounds to me like 4-4-2 will be our mainstay, even in Europe by implication, with the 4-5-1 used more sparingly. So those who commented on Saha warming the bench look to be very wrong ...
Well I thought that was always pretty obvious. Man U's 4-5-1 could always be easily switched to a 4-4-2, it will just mean that Scholes will have a more withdrawn role. Ruud Saha Giggs Keane Scholes Kelberson Fortune Silvestre Brown Neville The Man
Well, he's got more experience, even though Ronaldo's raw talent easily makes him more effective as a true winger. I think Klebs plays better defence though, as we'll need more of that since we don't have a 5th midfielder anymore, etc.
Cover for Phil, Klebs or Ronaldo on the wing, or Keane against lesser teams... Believe it or not, we've scored some great goals off of Phil Neville crosses, and Saha is pretty good in the air - probably our best to be honest.
Rejoice! Good riddance to that vile, excessively defensive formation (just bring it back for road games against difficult opposition)!
I think going even more offensive with a 4-3-1-2 could be extremely lethal. Ruud and Saha with Scholes playing as a withdrawn forward rather than dropping all the way to midfield sounds pretty potent.
Good news. I'm not usually one to question lineups too much, but I never really warmed to the 4-5-1. Let's see if Ruud-Saha can really be as great up top as Cole-Yorke.
We've scored some good goals off Gary Neville crosses too... I agree with Motter on Klebs (for now) though I expect Ronaldo to take the right wing spot permanently next year. Klebs, I think, is a long term replacement for Keane, and he will gravitate toward central midfield as Keane's playing time diminishes.
Klebs has looked at of position every time he's played on the right. The only time he has looked good is in the middle. Neither Klebs nor Ronaldo play any defense so take your pick. Klebs always looks to be too tired to track back on defense, especially in the last 30 minutes of the game. All in all, right now they're about equal, but Ronaldo sells more shirts
I'm not entirely sure you're right about that. Kleberson has had some excellent runs down the right, particularly on the counter. He also is very good at playing the fullback into space. I agree though, he's better in the middle.
What about Ruud-Solskjaer when Ole gets back from injury? He is definitely a better player than Saha and as already a proven scorer. Saha has had one decent half season. Why doesn't he have to earn his place as a starter on this team that is full of talented players that are better than him...to be honest, I was hoping that Chelsea would have picked him up. If SAF wanted a striker, he should have spent the money that he used on Saha to buy Mutu before Chelsea got him...they were about the same price...oh well.
You are probably right, but Ole can play on the right, where we desperately need some experienced play. ------Saha-------Ruud---------- Giggs---Keane---Scholes---Ole O'Shea--Brown---Silvestre----G. Neville ------------Howard----------------- That's a GREAT squad...
I think you are mistaken... Kleberson may not be a fierce tackler... but he works extremely hard for the ball wins alot of balls and i think he could mark certain players out of the game... instead of moving Giggs to the right to play Kewell like we did one time we could just play Klebs there...
I honestly don't recall one run he's made or one defensive play he's made. I thought he played well in the middle when Scholesy was injured, but I think he looks out of position and average on the right. Has anyone noticed how tired he looks the last 1/2 hour of the game? Maybe Klebs will adapt to the right. If we run a 4-4-2 now with Saha, he has little chance of playing in the middle so he'll have to adapt.
That team if it plays together for the rest of this season and all of next season will set a record for goals scored in the prem. Also.. it happens to be the best scoring midfield in the world...
Agree with that! The reason I started and continued to support Man U back since 75 was that we were always (nearly!) an attacking team. Playing attacking football is the Man U way, since way before then too. This is more important to me than winning trophies - I just love watching this type of football team. What bothered me with the 4-5-1 was that unlike some Euro teams that have one defensive CM ('the sweeper') we always seemed to play it with two (since Veron). I know that SAF was doing this for personnel and Euro reasons, but the football was not the type I had become used to over the years from Man U even if it did get results. Though I think it had started to be found out. The team above and the variations we can offer now we have good cover should be great fun to watch and successfull too "Can Manchester United socre? They always score!" - Clive Tyldesley ITV as Becks took the corner in the Euro cup final
We will see what's what after the season and after next season, but at this stage if I was picking a player on performance... not pedigree or reputation I would take Saha 100 times before considering Mutu... and thats the thing... ManU dont buy players on reputation... we buy good players... its just SAF's way. I'm not saying I would have been angry had we bought Mutu at the start of the season... he might have gelled with Ruud... Note... Vieri's row with management at Inter continues and it seems very likely he will be sold, either now or at the end of the season... he is ''Injured'' but im not sure how much of that is tantrum and how much of it is actual injury. I pray Chelsea dont land him... Barca should offer Kluivert on in an exchange deal. It would be a good move for Inter and Barca don't seem to want Kluivert.
You're just wrong about the run, thing. He doesn't beat people from a stop, but there have been several times this year which ahve been televized when he's proved extremely adept at shielding the ball while dribbling on counters. His weaknesses on the right are: 1. you're right about his stamina, and 2. he doesn't seem to be able to get in behind defenses w/o the ball like Giggs can. I think he'll still see some games in a 4-4-2. He can back-up either Scholes or Keane adeptly, so that should supply him with a fair # of starts.
Plus, Haven, Klebs doesn't have to play on the right with Ole and Ronaldo both healthy. Klebs and P. Neville will be first choice to back up Keane/Scholes in center midfield.
I think you are mistaken. I don't think he could mark anyone. He hasn't shown the defensive skills that you are talking about. Name one game in which he has shown any sings of being able to "mark certain players out the game". I hope you are correct though. Also, after yesterday's performance, Ronaldo has the right locked up. I realize they were playing against a 3rd division side, but he played extremely well, especially for an 18 year old. He still needs to become polished, but he was fantastic. I hope he plays more consistently, decreases his step overs and pull his socks down a bit.
I agree with these comments. I disagree with you over the run issue, but the main point I was making was that he looks very good in the middle, but mediocre on the right. It may be because he hasn't played there that much. He will be an excellent backup to Scholes and I hope he gets some PT.