But he often needs too much time on the ball imo. Confidence will make him an improved player but a lot of teams are pressing us higher up the pitch these days in hope of catching the CM and counter attacking. Running speed and size is no longer key as Iniesta and Xavi has shown; its more of having nimble footwork, quickness and agility - which Hargreaves embodied when he was fit. Carrick who could pick brilliant passes 2-3 seasons ago now have to content with moving the ball sideways and making the full-backs work harder than they need to, because the opposing team is up on his face as soon as he gets the ball. He is sort of found out in my opinion.

This is just a theory btw, but in order to make opposing teams drop deeper and leave gaps in the middle for players like Carrick and Scholes to operate, the strikers need to get up against the defenders and push the line all the way back to the opposition's half; similar to how andy cole used to play, right up against the shoulders. Rooney often drops too deep when he doesn't get the ball and Berbatov always plays in the AMC role anyway. Owen I think was bought for that purpose but he hasn't got the pace to worry defenders like he used to, so they'd rather play the offside trap with him.

Hernandez.. now that's a different kettle of fish altogether. Stick him up between both Centre backs making angled runs, that should force managers to provide more cover. Theoretically

He could just be out of form you know which happens to every players. And if it took teams 3 seasons to 'shut him down', I worry about their IQ level. His confidence was low, and everything he does doesn't quite work out most of last season.

Owen was brought in because he's good, on a free and he has experience. We needed a 3rd striker since we missed out on Benzema and Tevez, and he is just that. Nothing more, nothing less. I like the look of Hernandez. He's always looking to run in behind the defenders which should help. But it wouldn't make that much difference anyways since team will always pressurize our midfield since they know we go through whoever that plays in the middle. Scholes/Carrick or both of them. It's nothing new.

this year is for valencia!look at his pass n shot in cs...awesome...

Amazing how he turned to sidefoot the shot with his right

LOL fuelling the mystery of Valencia's lefty

Manchester United stalwart Ryan Giggs insists he is as hungry as ever to help the Red Devils win silverware this season.

The 36-year-old has no less than 28 domestic trophies during his illustrious with the Premier League giants.

Despite being at the back end of his career, the Welshman has no plans to lower his standards and settle for second best.

United's run of consecutive Premier League titles came to an end last season and Giggs is eager to finish top of the pile again.

Hunger

"There is always that hunger, even if you are defending things," said Giggs.

"But there is probably that added bit of determination because you don't want to go through another summer like this one again where we did not win the league.

"When you do not win the league, it is always hard.

"Now the challenge is there for us again. We do have to improve but if the squad stays fit and we get a bit of luck, we always fancy ourselves."

Sir Alex Ferguson has been astute in the transfer market this summer and Giggs believes Javier Hernandez could be the find of the season.

The Mexico international has impressed for his new team in pre-season with a string of well-taken goals, something Giggs has noted.

Extra quality

"Javier has the extra quality that makes a difference," he continued.

"Towards the end of last season we needed that player who could come off the bench and change a game.

"Now we have strengthened and hopefully that will give us an edge.

"Javier is a goal-poacher. His overall movement and ability to find space is really good.

"Hopefully he can get a lot of goals this year. He has started pre-season really well and I am sure he will be a great player for us."

Playing 5 in the middle against the big sides is not a new thing. After seeing what damage Carrick-Scholes did in 06/07, teams surely would have known how to partly counter if not entirely stop them from playing? Stop them from playing, and it would likely make it harder for us to win games. Took them 3 seasons to finally be successful to sussing out Carrick? That's a bit too long for top flight teams. And it's not like they don't know what type of a player he is since his West Ham days. He was just out of form and playing without confidence. We don't have to look far for the effect. Rooney. When he's out of form everything he touches seemed a bit shit. And it could go 10+ for him until he gets a few goals and his confidence started coming back. We'll know soon enough whether it was just form and confidence or something more than that.

With Rooney's post ankle injury form (scoring wise; he still assists) plus his World Cup dissapointments, he might take some time before banging in the goals again. But who's to say that he won't put 3 past Newcastle assuming SAF starts him.

I won't bet against Rooney scoring as I remember he has a decent scoring records against them 

Any Jews ever played for us?

Gui Assulin from Barca is on free transfer now, anyone fancy him?

Any Jews ever played for us?

Gui Assulin from Barca is on free transfer now, anyone fancy him?

no offence to the legend but i think this story is the same every year before the season starts

Hargreaves and nimble footwork. That's a few words I thought I'd never see in a same sentence.

He needs lots of time on the ball?? 2-3 touches?? Moving the ball sideways?? You're saying that as if that's all he does. WTF?? Carrick has picked plenty of good thru forward passes. What?? He should be making Hollywood passes all the time now?? Then you lot will be complaining that he gives the ball away loads. He was very instrumental during the 1st half of last season as well before hitting that bad patch of form where he was one of our crucial players so how was it that he was only good and can pick out passes 2-3 seasons ago. Feckin hell the fans are spoilt and fickle.

And he takes some time on the ball?? So what?? He is a defensive midfielder afterall. He is to win the ball, hold it in order for our forward players, wingers and his fellow midfielders to burst forward at which point he is to pick them out.

Found out...feckin hell. A couple of poor games towards the end of last season. Hell, he wasn't even that poor, just average. That coupled with Scholesy's brilliance and Fletch's good form meant he was out of the team. And he is found out?? FFS. People said the same about Ronaldo btw in his 2nd season, how he was found out. This is why I've always maintained there's too many spoilt people on this thread. A couple of bad games, some poor form and the onus is there for most on here to sell everybody and replace them.

Good thing they aren't the coach then ehh or at various points thruout the years we would have long seen Giggsy, Scholesy, Gaz and Wazza being sold.

Oh, and Iniesta and Xavi can feck off.

Playing 5 in the middle against the big sides is not a new thing. After seeing what damage Carrick-Scholes did in 06/07, teams surely would have known how to partly counter if not entirely stop them from playing? Stop them from playing, and it would likely make it harder for us to win games. Took them 3 seasons to finally be successful to sussing out Carrick? That's a bit too long for top flight teams. And it's not like they don't know what type of a player he is since his West Ham days. He was just out of form and playing without confidence. We don't have to look far for the effect. Rooney. When he's out of form everything he touches seemed a bit shit. And it could go 10+ for him until he gets a few goals and his confidence started coming back. We'll know soon enough whether it was just form and confidence or something more than that.

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Added on August 10, 2010, 11:30 amSome players are just more comfortable with their dominant side I guess. But that goal against League of Ireland XI came from his left foot. So he does have it. He's just reluctant to use it more often.  What a player. And what a signing. He's a beast of a player. Only 2 games back since his ankle injury back in May last season, and he was playing 90mins running non stop in both games playing like he was never away injured. His pace, power and directness is great to watch. Hes only 25 as well. More to come from him.

This.
That.

The thing is, Fletcher and Scholes were on song last season. Thus, it is much easier to say Carrick IS OUT OF FORM FOR THE WHOLE SEASON. Feck, he was great in the first half of the season playing alongside Fletcher and later on arranged to CB position. We all know Scholes is an expert in hollywood balls and always throw them around. Carrick is not the same type as Scholes. He will always try to assess his options and I AM BOLD enough to say that he defends better than Scholesy or Giggsy(CM) do.

Give him some break. Don't let yourself be too spoiled with successes and whatnot. For some reasons, I wish that FM should never be invented at all. It helps in spawning muppets.