Manchester United - 2007/2008 - Offficial Thread

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Ripper

Ripper

Ripper

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Manchester United - 2007/2008 - Official Thread

Well, the new season is slowly creeping up again, and rather than drag up the old "Frustration" thread I thought it'd be best to start a freshy!

I'm extremely excited about the coming season, more so than any other since we signed RvN and Veron. Not just because of the prospective new signings, but because of the inevitable improvements from certain players.

Ronaldo had a cracking season, and now he's got that under his belt I can't wait to see him come back after a nice long lay off, refreshed and ready to go again.

After a season of bedding in, I can see Carrick becoming more and more important next season, and I would expect him to be up there with Rooney and Ferdinand for most appearences made next season, even with Hargreaves arriving. I don't think Hargreaves has been bought to rotate with Carrick, and I can see them playing together quite often next season.

Whilst many perhaps didn't rate Rooney much last year, he still notched up over 20 goals and in the cup final he looked like the only player who was gong to produce something special. Many people are expecting us to buy a striker to play alongside him, but I reckon Fergie will attempt to play Rooney up top by himself next season. With Hargreaves and Carrick, the defensive stance of the midfield is sorted, which could allow two wingers and an attacking midfielder to push further up (Scholes/Anderson). and support Rooney. We don't play the kind of football where we expect a frontman to hold the ball up so I think Rooney CAN play by himself without it having a detrimental effect on his game.

The defence looks pretty solid, even if Heinze leaves. O'Shea/Silvestre can cover LB and Brown/Silvestre/Pique can cover CB. RB is maybe a bit thin, but in fairness Brown is pretty solid there, and O'Shea/Hargreaves can play there if needed. Hopefully Neville will have better luck with injuries this season.

I can see us employing a number of formations next year. With this in mind, I would actually accept not winning the Premiership if it meant the two young lads arriving bed in nicely and learn the English game. If they can adapt it'll leave us in a great position for years to come.

The basic 4-4-2:

--------------VdS----------------
Neville - Ferdinand - Vidic - Evra
Ronaldo - Carrick - Scholes - Giggs
--------Rooney - Saha------------

Same as last season, no reason why it cant work again if everyones fit.

4-5-1:

----------------VdS----------------
Neville - Ferdinand - Vidic - Evra
------ Carrick - Hargreaves ------
---- Ronaldo - Scholes - Giggs ----
-------------- Rooney -------------

I think this could be the formation of choice next year, with Scholes and Anderson rotating, and Giggs and Nani rotating. Maybe not for the lesser games though. I don't think there's much chance of Nani or Anderson becoming first choice straight away. Maybe after a few months, but for the majority of the season I'd expect Scholes and Giggs to start when injuries/fitness aren't a concern.

But this is where I see potential problems. Obviously Fergie is gonna want to play the two new lads at times, but there's a chance it may ruin the way we play as they won't be used to it. This could lead to dropped points here and there. Hence my bit above about accepting 2nd place as long as we're set up for years to come.

IF (this is probably the biggest IF you will ever come across) Saha somehow manages to stay fit, then I think we'll be VERY strong up top next season, even without a new striker. Saha is good enough, he just needs to stay fit.

Transfers

What business is left to be done?

Richardson - Has to leave, surely?.
Heinze - Looks to be on his way eventually.
Smith - Papers seems to believe he's on his way, I have a feeling he'll stay though.
Rossi - HAS to stay unless Fergie has his sights FIRMLY set on a new striker. Surely give him a season then decide what to do.
Pique - Same situation as Rossi really
Brown - Hopefully stay
Silvestre - Hopefully stay - Yes shoot me, but he's good backup
Saha - Nobodies gonna buy him at the moment so we may as well keep him

Will we sign a new striker? I have a funny feeling we won't as I think Fergie could see 4-5-1 as the system to suit our team, especially if he wants both Hargreaves and Carrick to play (which they should).

Rivals

Not too worried about Arsenal or Liverpool in the long run. Liverpool dont seem to be bringing anyone special in that can REALLY improve them (I don't think Torres will have the effect most fans predict if he signs).

Chelsea's season will probably depend on how well the fringe players play when asked to step in, especially during the AN. Without Drogba I think they'll struggle during this period. Can Shevchenko win the ongoing tussle with O'Shea for who can score the most premiership goals? Time will tell.


---------------

Community Shield should be an interesting game. I hope Fergie will chuck the new lads in straight away to give them a good idea of what to expect from day one.

To sum everything up, I think a lot of our success this season depends on Rooney and how he can lead the line. Hopefully the midfield will chip in like last season, but I'm hoping Rooney will have a blinder and lead us to another Premiership trophy!

This should get you in the mood anyway :)


Thoughts? Predictions?
 
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i want us to build on last season, and win 2 trophies this year. (excluding the charity sheild)

last year i predicted us to win nothing and i wasnt far off.

for me Ronaldo's form declined in the run in to the end of the season after going on a hot streak following Christmas. for me he will be key as our linking, jinking, only competetant dribbler of the ball!

hopefully anderson and nani can weigh in here and show us ability to run the ball from midfield to the attacking third. this is something we lacked without Ronaldo, as giggs isnt as effective in this position as he used to be.

i hope that Silvestre, and Richardson get cleared out. i would like to see heinze stay because otherwise we are weak defensively from left back positon.
 
Nickg said:
last year i predicted us to win nothing and i wasnt far off.
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I don't see much of a gap between winning nothing and winning the premiership either.

Oh wait.... :p
 
Stag said:
I don't see much of a gap between winning nothing and winning the premiership either.

Oh wait.... :p
Click to expand...

LMAO Quoted for truth.

Good OP from Ripper as usual. I think for this season we may end up winning a cup rather than the league. I get a feeling we will be bedding in at least the three players we have bought and maybe another striker . On the outgoing list for next year I think this will be the last for VdS, G Neville, Ole, Giggsy and possibly Scholesy. So for me it will be a season of transition if nothing else with this current squad bar one or two new faces really maturing into a team of '94 & '99 stature in around 2-3 years time

Outgoing over the summer I would like to see Richardson go for sure and maybe Silvestre. They prove to be a liability in pretty much every game they play through lack of effort, concentration or ability.

As for the young ones, well I dont see a lot of them going either. Jonny Evans, Gerard Pique, Giuseppi Rossi & Darron Gibson all catch the eye and It depends on Fergie if he can persuade them to be patient and wait for their chance.

Threats

Obviously Chelsea but this will be the big threat to us but I think this will be a period of transition for them also. A few players going out and they will be significantly weakened during the African cup of nations. What will there plan be this year ? Go back for the title or really hammer it for the Champions league. Seeing how other teams are strengthening over europe its going to be a hard task to win the domestic title and win the champions league.

Liverpool, Ah the darlings of the press. Every year is there year and every year they fail. I dont see the signing of Torres to siginificantly effect our potential this year.

Arsenal. Now this is where I am struggling. With the loss of Henry and some obvious discontent in the board room will they get a siege mentality and suprise us all or will they self implode as some quaters of the media predict ? I really wouldn't like to call it one way or the other at the moment. Although I don't think the loss of Henry will be as bad as some Arsenal fans think.

Spurs. Good squad coming together but with other areas in need of cover, why spend £17m on bent unless one of the other strikers is on his way out ?

Im looking forward to this season, not least for most of the premiership teams having a decent rest and a good pre season. Most of the top teams appeared to stutter across the finish line looking pretty exhausted
 
I desperately want Rossi, Piqué to stay, however what Utd might end up doing is swapping Piqué for Eidur, however id prefer they dont.

I think Rossi could step up to be a great player for us, as well as this - Richardson looks as good as gone - Fulham in the running, aswell as Sunderland.

Heinze is the same, pretty much gone.

I want Brown to stay, not that bothered by Silvestre, Smith might end up leaving, same with Saha as there are a few other clubs possibly wanting him.

I think Giggs, Scholes will possibly be on a rotation mid season, with them starting and Anderson/Nani coming in later.
 
G|mp said:
Sack Giggs and sell Fergie !!!

Nice posts Rip and Loki :)
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What we need at the start of this season is Michael Knighton doing kick ups in front of the Stretford End with Trace the Ace getting so excited cos its Man Utd, She thinks we'll score a goal and she'll be excited :p
 
I get all lonely when you lot have these *official* team threads, I might have to start an *Official Chelsea Frustrated Thread* soon if there's no Chelsea action in here :(
 
JohnnyG said:
And G-Man, Maby66 & mcwildcard, we'll just drink not talk
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Cant wait to see Viv and Nani in action, im hoping Viv learns a lot form Scholesy

Good interview with Carrick i read earlier about what an influence Scholes and how hes learnt a lot from him, ill post it if i can find it
 
Carrick on top of the world
Having been crowned a champion in his first season at Old Trafford, Michael Carrick is relishing the challenge of staying at the peak of English football.

The former West Ham and Spurs midfielder joined United last summer, and was delighted to claim the Barclays Premier League title in his first season at Old Trafford.

The first major trophy of his career capped Carrick's ascension through progressively bigger clubs, and he concedes his route has been akin to climbing a ladder.

“Each move was a step up really," he told Inside United. "Although when I first got in the West Ham team we were doing really well and finished seventh that season, going down in 2003 was a big disappointment.

"But to go to Tottenham and to achieve what we did there was a big step up for the club, going so close to getting in the Champions League.

"But then to come here is another level again and there’s nowhere else now! I want to stay here and achieve things here. This is the pinnacle of the game.

"They say the easy part is getting there and the hardest part’s staying there, so I’ve got a big challenge ahead.”

Carrick concedes that a major factor behind his improvement as a player has been down to training and playing with midfield partner Paul Scholes.

“Scholesy has been a massive influence," said Carrick. "Just watching him every day lets you appreciate how good he is.

"If you ask anyone in the game who’s in the know, everyone says how good he is and how hard he is to play against. To have him on your team alongside you is great. "He’s just an awesome player and one that I’m watching in training and learning from, and hopefully taking things from and trying to do the same.”

Much was made of United's attacking incision and movement last season, which left opposing defences befuddled beyond repair. Carrick, on the other hand, revelled in the challenge of hitting perpetually moving targets with his array of passing.

He said: “I’ve got the easy part, they make it easy! Their movement is brilliant. It’s not just where they move, it’s the intelligence.

"Sometimes standing still and letting everything go on around you can create the space you need, and Giggsy’s a prime example of that.

"He’s so clever and so intelligent, you see that from some of the positions he picks up and how he does it. It’s just great to have him on our team.

"But it’s not just him, all of them are great. You get the ball and most of the time you’ve got at least two options, which is a midfielder’s dream really.”




Good lad Carrick :)
 
Nickg said:
last year i predicted us to win nothing and i wasnt far off.
Click to expand...

Oh dear. Up until the third last week in the season, we could have won the treble. Can you be any more negative concerning the success we have achieved this season? We won the Premiership by 6 points (despite of our relatively poor finish), knocked out in the second leg of a Champions League semi final by the eventual winners (the best run we've had in 5 years in the CL), and beaten by Chelsea in the F.A Cup final by 1 goal in the second half of extra time. And over the whole course of the season in all domestic competitions no one beat us by more than one goal. Considering the previous seasons, I'd safely say that last season was probably one of the best if not the best season for me (bar 1999 of course ;)).

Good post Ripper. :)

Whoever is going to win the league needs to hit the ground running in August. I think it's still too close to call who will win the league. Liverpool are still a few miles behind and Arsenal if they get into a good momentum and regain the team spirit now Henry is gone could quite easily make up those few miles with the young players they have and push both Chelsea and Man Utd all the way. But that future hangs in the balance of Wenger and what happens this summer.

I think Nani will get more games than people think, maybe not straight away, but all the F.A Cup and Carling Cup games. Giggs fading accelerated in the last few months of last season, Solskjaer too. Time for new blood. And let the elders cast a helping eye over their development. I hope and pray that Anderson is granted a work permit. And I'm looking forward now to a battler in midfield in the shape of Hargreaves. I think he'll slot straight into things and not need time to settle.

This is one of those rare times that I'm extremely happy with our summer transfers and am really looking forward to seeing them in pre-season matches and tournaments. I don't see Saha going anywhere, unless a french team comes in for him despite his injuries. Fully fit he could do a job for us again but I'm glad that Ferguson now sees that he cannot ever be truly relied upon for a whole season. Ferguson is back in his office and has been since yesterday, his holidays are over, Hargreaves is due to complete his transfer this weekend along with Nani and Anderson. It's back to business for Fergie, no doubt he has his list of strikers and will reassess them all one by one in the coming month.

I'd like Smith to stay and Heinze of course, but the fact that Ferguson has reportedly accepted a bid but is leaving it up for Smith to decide, tells me that he doesn't feature in his plans. Ferguson doesn't sell players that he sees a future with at Old Trafford. If it meant more of a chance for Rossi, then I'd like to see Smith move on or be used in a part exchange deal for one of our targets. I think the main team outside the top four that is rising is Spurs. I reckon Smith could go there. But players I'd actually like to see leave, the usual suspects Richardson and Silvestre, even Fletcher at this stage, O'Shea has proven this season that he can be counted on and he's actually won us a few games with last minute goals, something Fletcher doesn't offer us.

I toast Ferguson's health and the good times ahead. The future is looking a lot brighter these days.
 
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JohnnyG said:
I get all lonely when you lot have these *official* team threads, I might have to start an *Official Chelsea Frustrated Thread* soon if there's no Chelsea action in here :(
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JG I think you should start a poll to see how many Man Utd fans there actually are here in SA along with everyone else. I once made a list and it was quite big, I've got a general number of other fans in my head, it's nowhere near the amount of Man Utd fans.
 
There was a sort of 'who do you support' thread done a while ago, if it's not still around or archived feel free to start another. :)
You're probably right though, also Man.U. get a lot of casual fans ie. those who don't really follow football but have Man.U. as their favourite team.
 
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