Louis Saha: Have The Facts Changed?
Once again Louis Saha will move to centre stage as United seek an instant remedy to the loss of Wayne Rooney.
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Is Time Running Out For Michael Carrick?
When United run out against Blackburn tomorrow, chances are that Michael Carrick will be asked to add guile and wit to United’s midfield against one of the Premiership’s in-form sides.
The match is yet another opportunity for the midfielder to stake his claim to a first team position after a season interrupted by injury and bewitched by the rival claims of competitors.
With Scholes absent until the New Year, it would seem that the England midfielder has a clear run at nailing down a place in the United engine room. Carrick, though, is taking nothing for granted. “The squad is terrific,” he admitted. “A few lads have been rested, and that will continue throughout the season. The manager has got a lot of bodies, but I’m sure it’s a happy problem for him. I think everyone has raised their level of performance up a notch or two now. That is what this club is all about. They are all top players - and whoever plays will not let anyone down.”
Carrick’s magnanimity fits with a character which, publicly at least, seems to be of easy disposition. He is an accomplished player, wearing a £18 million price tag, who helped United to win the title in his first season at the club. However, the first three months of the campaign may have already provided tangible evidence that time and good fortune may not be on the player’s side? With Sir Alex committed to rotation and Anderson and Hargreaves providing an irresistible glimpse of the future at the Emirates Stadium last week, Carrick faces the toughest fight of his United career, amid sneers that he doesn’t hurt the opposition enough and may be destined to play the role of midfield support act rather than leading man
Luck and an uninterrupted run of games allowing for the return of his best form, should be sufficient to recast the midfielder again as an unsung yet fundamental element in the United team. Carrick hopes his comeback against Kiev will prove to be a springboard. “It was nice to get back,” he added, speaking of his comeback in the destruction of Dynamo Kiev. “It was a frustrating break, because I was starting to play well and the team was playing well. But it is a long old season, and I am looking forward to the games ahead.”
When the midfielder joined United, under the headline ‘Carrick: a Keane or a Kleberson?’ the Mail newspaper wrote: “At 25, Carrick certainly has time to improve his football under the guidance of United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. He now has the stage he has craved for so long.”
Carrick has the stage. Now he must deliver.
Wazza: Out For A Month
Wayne Rooney has been ruled out for four weeks after suffering an ankle injury in training today. The Manchester United striker left Carrington on crutches and will miss Sunday’s Premier League clash with Blackburn and most likely their remaining two group matches in the Champions League.
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SAF: My Saha Dilemma
Sky: Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that he faces a ‘dilemma’ in deciding whether to start Louis Saha.
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Ronaldo: Euro Confident
Mirror: Cristiano Ronaldo has endorsed Sir Alex Ferguson’s belief that Manchester United have what it takes to win the Champions League this season.
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SAF: Piqué Stays
Mail: Sir Alex Ferguson has no intention of letting Gerard Pique leave Manchester United.
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Whatever Happened To Jonny Evans?
This was supposed to be Jonny Evans’ year.
The talented defender was part of the Keane surge that took Sunderland back to the Premiership as champions last season.
Evans returned to United still a teenager but with solid experience in the championship bear pit and with international credentials too, having come to prominence with Northern Ireland.
Evans was itching for a place in the first team. Although the central defensive pairing of Ferdinand and Vidic seemed an impregnable barrier to such ambition, Evans was outwardly confident that his day in the Old Trafford spotlight would not be long in coming.
“I’ll be involved in pre-season and he [Ferguson] has more or less said that I will get games,” Evans revealed last June. “I want to play for Manchester United. I am a Manchester United fan and it has been my aim since I signed for the club to get into the first team.
“The incentive is there for me now and I want to be good enough to be playing for Manchester United.”
But the first three months of the new season have proved to be something of a rude awakening for the 19 year old Irishman. Just when he thought he was within touching distance of the first eleven, Evans appears to be falling further behind.
At international level, the defender learned yesterday that he has been left out of the full Northern Ireland squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Denmark and Spain. Instead, he will get a run-out with the U21 side against Luxembourg and Moldova.
“It is the first time Evans, when fit, has been left out of the senior squad since making his debut in the memorable 3-2 victory over Spain in Belfast last year,” the BBC reported.
Another assured performance by Gerard Piqué in the demolition of Dynamo Kiev, which he capped with a well taken goal, has not only enhanced the Spaniard’s reputation but placed him at the front of the queue to replace either Rio Ferdinand or Vidic.
Such is the fall in Evans’ stock, that the defender, part of the team that suffered in the home League Cup defeat by Coventry, is now subject to rumour that Sir Alex is worried by his lack of progress. Indeed, it is also being suggested that the defender may be loaned out again in January or even sold, with Sunderland, Fulham and at least three Championship clubs eyeing his signature.
However, such rumours are believed to be wide of the mark. It is understood that an inquiry by Wolves boss Mick McCarthy to take Evans back to the Championship was rebuffed earlier this month. The Midlands club was made aware that the teenager is still part of United’s first teams plans.
A player of Evans’ promise should not see his career turned upside down in the space of three months. Northern Ireland cannot do without someone of his ability for long and Evans is talented enough to have a first team future at United if he maintains his progress.
Last February, Sir Alex was telling the press of the hope he holds out for Evans’ development and that of other youngsters to have emerged from the United academy.
“We have good coaches and have done well to develop players in the academy such as Jonny Evans, Craig Cathcart and Darron Gibson,” he said. “The three Irish boys are exceptionally good.”
Even though the new season has not worked out immediately as Evans might have hoped, it would seem absurdly premature to now be hanging ‘For Sale’ signs around the Irish prodigy’s neck.
What’s Going On With United’s Strikers?
Wayne Rooney
Wazza is in the form of his life and all Sir Alex can do is hope it lasts and pray that no hulking beasts masquerading as defenders come anywhere near the striker’s feet.
The 22 year old has come back from injury to record the best goals per game return of his career – eight in his last seven matches - allowing Sir Alex’s vision of the player emerging as the complete forward to move into clearer focus.
“I’m delighted with my game at the minute, Rooney told the Mirror newspaper last month. “I’m playing well, scoring goals and we’re winning games, so I just want it to keep that going.
“When you’re out, as I was at the start of the season [with a broken foot], you’re always looking at other players who are scoring and playing, and you just want to be out there with them.
“So it was frustrating, but I’m just delighted to be back, doing what I love most. The difference now is I’m scoring on a more consistent basis. In previous years I’d score for three or four games, then go three or four games without a goal. This year I’ve managed to do it in consecutive games, which is great. Now I feel like I’m going to score every time I play.”
Carlos Tevez
Fewer doubts surround Tevez’s future as a United star now that he has started to find the net. The Argentine has the opportunity to put Saturday’s disappointing performance at Arsenal behind him, should he be selected to face Dynamo Kiev this evening.
Meanwhile, Sir Alex grows more appreciative of the player’s skills by the day.
“What I have noticed about the boy here, since he has come to us, is that when he loses the ball he wants it back which is a great attribute to have as a striker,” he said. “Not every striker thinks that way. So he’s got a lot of great things about him and most importantly that great enthusiasm to play.”
As well as love from Sir Alex, Tevez also got props from famed countryman Lionel Messi.
“Carlos is making a big difference for Manchester United this season,” the Barcelona star said. “His partnership with Rooney is already something special and I think it will only get better.
“Although they play and move similarly to one another on the pitch, they are going to help Manchester United a lot. They will scare defenders everywhere.
“Those who play the game well understand each other immediately. Good players always manage to play well together.”
Louis Saha
No story about the French star is complete without a medical bulletin or the manager promising to “take it slowly” with his fragile striker.
Saha’s dramatic entry at Arsenal last weekend was evidence of his continued importance to United and Sir Alex claims he will nurse the player along gently in the hope of keeping him fit for longer.
Ferguson said: “We saw on Saturday how Louis can change a game. We just have to monitor how he is because we are never going to risk his availability for the rest of the season if we can avoid it.
“If it means starting with him as a substitute, that is what we will do because he is such a different player to any of the rest we have here.”
Dimitar Berbatov ( a future United striker?)
Rumours linking the Bulgarian hitman with Old Trafford continue to circulate like the Autumn leaves, even though he is suffering a nightmare in front of goal, scoring just twice in 14 appearances this season.
The speculation is mounting by the day, especially as Spurs are lining up a move for old boy Fredi Kanoute, a firm favourite of the new manager.
Juande Ramos started the romance by speaking fondly of the Seville star. He said: “Kanoute would be a great player wherever he goes.”
Kanoute’s agent Christophe Mongai returned the love letter in a perfumed envelope. “Frederic likes Tottenham very much and a return there in January is possible,” he said in reply.
No wonder Berbatov’s agent Emil Dantchev was on a plane from Sofia for talks with Spurs boss Damien Comolli earlier this week. Dantchev offered what must rank as one of football’s least convincing denials that his client wants to be at Old Trafford in time for the New Year sales.
“I don’t see why having coffee with him means there is difficulty for Berbatov at Tottenham,” Dantchev ventured. “It is a normal meeting. Dimitar is under contract with Tottenham and it is just a meeting to discuss general questions, nothing special.”
Hacks couldn’t resist asking whether the “coffee” was a prelude to a transfer request? “That question is formulated from a situation that doesn’t exist,” Dantchev replied. “If there is something concrete, of course everyone will hear the information but don’t make a question for something that doesn’t happen at the moment.”
Right! Shoot the messenger why dontcha!
Dong Fangzhou
Did someone see a ghost?
Pundits: The Guardian On Anderson
You can’t kick Arsenal out of a game any more. That was last year.
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OH: Arsenal’s ‘So Called’ Beautiful Game
Independent: Pundits and public alike may be gazing on Arsenal with doe-eyed admiration but Owen Hargreaves yesterday delivered a cold professional verdict on what he described as the Premier League leaders’ “so-called beautiful football”.
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OH: Oh No!
Sky: Owen Hargreaves has voiced his frustration over the knee injury that has troubled him in recent months, but doubts whether the problem has been completely sorted yet.
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Vidic: Wa Can Repeat 1999
Sun: NEMANJA VIDIC aims to back up his billing as a Red legend with a huge performance against Arsenal at The Emirates.
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Neville: I’m Back
Sky: Manchester United defender Gary Neville has returned to action after seven months on the sidelines.
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Lionel Messi Bigs Up Tev and Roon
Sun: LIONEL MESSI is in awe of the Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney partnership — and believes it will only get better.
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No Scholes, No Glory?
‘Red Mist’ Chris & ISpy
Does the likely three month absence of Paul Scholes threaten seriously United’s chances of silverware this season?
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Neville: It’s Been Too Long
Sun: MANCHESTER UNITED skipper Gary Neville admits he is desperate to return for the champions.
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