I caught the Manchester United v. WBA game yesterday and I do not understand why Ferguson has Veron in the game instead of scholes. Nor do I understand his thinking in putting Giggs in as a recessed forward. Veron did not have the ball control he needed to contribute to the attack -- I do not know why he doesn't have the control, but his passes were not good enough. In contrast, Scholes got the assist and looked great. Scholes had a better year last year and Veron should be back seat to Scholes. He should. He should he should. Giggs is not a striker and putting him up there just lowers his impact on the game. It is a big mistake. Fergeson must know it is a mistake, and everyone is telling him it is a mistake. Why is he doing it? I am not a Manchester United fan, so I am perfectly happy if they want to put up a weird lineup and lose games, but I do not understand it. I am a Van Nistelrooy fan, and I think he could be much better utilized than he is. He needs a partner up front and I see no spark between him and Giggs. Nor do I see Veron giving him the service he needs. WBA's keeper was great and I am glad their loss was only 1-0.
Veron with no ball control eh? He's one of the best in the world in that category. He may have had a bad match, but you gotta judge a player on his best match, not his worst. But there's no question Fergie's lost it upstairs and playing Giggs and Scholes as forwards isn't going to help. I can't believe Man Utd. and all their resources can't go out and find a partner for 'the Van'. Starting Forlan would fix that real quick but they don't show him any confidence. People say Veron changed the dynamics of the team and that caused them to lose the title but playing Giggs and Scholes as forwards had nothing to do with Veron, and had a much bigger impact on the dynamics of the team. I don't think they give Veron enough importance and that's why his performances have suffered. A player like that should be 'running' the team. Fergie's stubborness is starting to bite him on the ass.
I understand that he normally has the ball control and that he is one of the best midfielders in the world. But he did not demonstrate it in the WBA game. I see why people say he is not fitting in at Manchester United. My point is that Fergie is fielding a weird lineup it is not working well and I am wondering what he is thinking. Your point that Veron should be running the team may be the root of the problem. The team has gone into this surreal Roy Keane leadership world that feels like a bad trip on LSD. (Except I have never taken LSD). Give the team to Veron, get Van Nistelrooy a partner up front and put Giggs back at left wing where he can be phenomenal again. I do like the black lines on the new ManU shirts though. Gives the team an edgy look, which Beckham particularly needs now that he has the pretty boy haircut again.
Stupid question but why not partner Ole Gunnar up front with RVN. Never have figured out why that guy is not a full time starter instead of these weird odd formations featuring Scholes or Gigsy up front.
I'm with you here. But he's already proved his incredible value off the bench, which isn't the easiest thing in the world to do. Couple that with an overloaded midfield and you can see why Giggs and Scholes have played "in the hole". If Ole starts, there is no striker on the bench that Fergie "knows" can get him a goal. Forlan is all that's left and he's yet to find the net.
I wish the Man-U fans would just chill out for a moment and thank their lucky stars they have one of the best holding midfielders in the world. More importantly, esp if you believe in signing guys so the other team can't, nobody else in the EPL has the benefit of Veron's srvc. It may take a little time for veron to adjust from the patient planning in Serie-A to the faster and far more direct play of Man-U, but I am dead sure he will dominate the midfield again in due time. BTW putting Giggs up front goes beyond gimmicky and is just plain stupid.
Veron is a terrific player but he just doesn't fit in with the Utd midfield. He's a "midfield general" type that likes to run the game but when you have players like Keane, Beckham, Giggs and Scholes then these quality players are not about to play second fiddle. Keane in particular seems to be put out when Veron is playing. I also think the Premiership is a bit too fast for his game - the slower pace of Serie A and International football is better suited to his style. He seems hurried in the Premiership and his passing is often critically off target. He also goes for the throat too often when a simpler pass would be more effective. As a man Utd fan I'd love to see him fit in but at the moment I just can't see how he can do that and I'm not keen on the way Alex is trying to fit the team around him with his 5 man midfields and one up front. I note that Veron wasn't in the starting lineup against Chelsea earlier. However Alex went with 5 midfield players again, Scholes just behind van Nistelrooy. Didn't work at all in the first half but they picked up their game in the second when Scholes dropped a little further back. I don't like van Nistelrooy isolated up front. He's just crowded out but I don't think Solskjaer is the answer. You need a support player not another goal poacher. The two just don't play well together because neither is unselfish enough to support the other.
All together now... Fergie has lost the plot His brain has gone to rot From nags and sour mash he'll turn United into hash The world it shall rejoice All with one great voice Because the whinging Scot Completely lost the plot