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| Monday October 13, 2008 | Manchester United Fan Forum |
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| Current League Table |
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| Brown still eyeing central role | Posted by Bill on Mon Oct 13 @ 05:36 GMT |
WES Brown refuses to call time on his United career as a centre-half. Last term the Mancunian played more games in the double-winning campaign than anyone. The majority of his 52 appearances came as he filled in the right-back berth left vacant by captain Gary Neville's struggle with injury. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic had the central defensive pairing buttoned up and remain first choice partnership at the back.
Brown has battled with Neville and Brazilian teenager Rafael Da Silva this term, but still has ambitions as a centre-half. "I wouldn't have thought I was settled at right-back for good," said Wes. "Obviously, with Gary being out I was the main contender for that position. Now Gary's back, the gaffer can easily change it. If Vida or Rio are out, then he can put me at centre-back. Injured - "Against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final it was a really tight game and the gaffer put me there hoping I could use a bit of my experience. It turned out well and we got the result we needed. "Last season for me it was great. Obviously it was disappointing that Gary got injured, which meant I got the place at right-back. "But it was a great season, the team the whole way through the season was flowing and we always thought we were in contention to win trophies. "In the last two months it went very well for us, we got the luck at times and we ended up with the Double so it was a great feeling to be involved in what was a great achievement." Last Easter, Brown got the Reds up and running at Old Trafford with the first goal against Liverpool in the Premiership crunch at Old Trafford. It was his only strike of the season. He registered his first for United last weekend at Blackburn to add to a goal for England against the Czech Republic in an August friendly. "It's just a bit of luck, I think," Brown added. Goals - "Obviously I've not scored too many goals in my career and it's good to have a few in the last few months. It's nice to get on the scoresheet and help out. "Scoring my first for England at Wembley was really big for me. It's great to play for your country and to score a goal it felt unbelievable." There's a new feel-good factor in the England camp after the disappointment of failing to qualify for Euro 2008 in the summer and a tentative start to the World Cup qualifying group and early-season friendlies was wiped out with the excellent 4-1 result in Croatia last month. England now take on Kazakhstan at Wembley at teatime. "The last few games the fans have been up and down a little bit, and our performances maybe haven't been up to standard," says Wes. "But, hopefully, coming from the Croatia game we can take that into a match at Wembley and show them what we can do there. "We know we can do it and as long as we've got the confidence to do it, I'm sure we will. "The team was very relaxed against Croatia and wanted to play. We got the ball down and we were comfortable. "We knew what we were doing from training and in general it came off. Everyone was confident and the things we tried worked, so hopefully we can carry them forward into these games against Kazakhstan and Belarus next Wednesday. "We need to perform but I'm sure the confidence from the last game will fly straight through into this one." www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk | |
| Rooney: I'll adapt to Capello's plan | Posted by Bill on Sun Oct 12 @ 18:15 GMT |
Wayne Rooney is willing to play anywhere for England - but says he can cause more damage through the middle, supporting an out-and-out striker.The Manchester United forward started Saturday's 5-1 win against Kazakhstan on the left flank but was shifted inside in a 4-4-1-1 system after a goalless first half at Wembley. It resulted in two goals for the 22-year-old - and a tricky decision for England coach Fabio Capello before the Belarus clash in Minsk on Wednesday when England look to protect their perfect record in 2010 World Cup qualifiers. Rooney, relishing his role in the middle supporting Emile Heskey, said: "I'm a lot more on the ball, and it's better to play. But if the manager wants me to play left then I will. "In the first half I played more towards the left and second half I started playing just off Emile. It was two different roles." Rooney's performance in the victory over Croatia was arguably his finest for England. He scored in Zagreb, and two against Kazakhstan took his tally to 17 after his first international double for four years. England players consider Rooney to be too unselfish for his own good, but Rooney insisted: "I wouldn't say my record is too bad - it's just outside one in two. It's not one in four or five. "I've always said my game is not all about goals and I'm pleased with my record and how I've been playing." He now wants to score consistently rather than going through goalscoring spurts. "When I play for United it's always been like that - the goals have all come at once and then a little break," he added. "I'd like to do it a bit more consistently and keep scoring throughout - but that is just the way it has happened." Rooney was inches from a Wembley hat-trick, but Alexandr Kuchma got the last touch as the pair jumped for a free-kick - and the England forward joked that his new shaven head was not to blame for finishing with only two goals. "No, maybe if I had Crouchy's legs I would have scored," he said. Heskey is set to win his 50th England cap if he features against Belarus - and he came close to his first international goal in five years towards the end of the Kazakhstan win. "Not scoring does not play on my mind," said the Wigan striker. "I was trying to get that goal at the end and I couldn't even get my hand on it. I'm going to carry on and hope that will come." Heskey feels England will need to improve against Belarus this week if they are to make it four wins from four so far in the campaign. "We'll have to be a lot better than we were against Kazakhstan. We have to get at them - and I think we will," he said. teamtalk.com | |
| Henry wants end to City switch talk | Posted by Bill on Sun Oct 12 @ 15:45 GMT |
Thierry Henry insists he is happy at Barcelona and has called for the speculation linking him with a move to Manchester City to stop.Reports in England and France have claimed the former Arsenal forward is a target for the new owners at Eastlands - the Abu Dhabi United Group - and suggested a deal with Barca will be struck in the January transfer window. Talk of a move arose after Henry himself hinted in September that he was unhappy in Spain due to a combination of a lack of playing time through injury and new coach Pep Guardiola's insistence of playing the Frenchman on the left wing. But following France's 2-2 draw with Romania on Saturday, Henry insisted he was happy at the Nou Camp and demanded an end to rumours over his future. "One thing's for sure, the Manchester City thing and all the things you're talking about need to stop," he told France Football. "I've played three matches in the league and I've scored twice. So there you go. I missed two (games) because I was ill. "(Leo) Messi has been on the bench twice, (Samuel) Eto'o has been on the bench twice, (Dani) Alves hasn't been in the side recently. The coach rotates players, but you don't stop (talking) when it's my turn. Talk about everyone! "When (Carles) Puyol doesn't play against Betis, when Alves isn't in the group, when Messi doesn't play against Santander, when Sam doesn't play against Espanyol. If you're going to talk, talk about everyone." teamtalk.com | |
| Tigers fear no-one, insists Duffen | Posted by Bill on Sun Oct 12 @ 14:45 GMT |
Chairman Paul Duffen insists Hull will be going into their upcoming matches against Chelsea and Manchester United "believing they can win".Duffen insists that his side fear no one in the Premier League following their shock successive triumphs at the Emirates and White Hart Lane. Duffen, whose side have also won at Newcastle, told The Mirror: "We will be playing Chelsea and Manchester United in a few weeks and we shall be approaching both games believing we can win. And most of our fans will now be looking at our next game against West Ham and thinking we could win. "But, just so long as the fans go to games believing we could win, rather than we should win, then all will be fine!" teamtalk.com | |
| Hughes: City are attractive option | Posted by Bill on Sun Oct 12 @ 11:15 GMT |
Mark Hughes is confident he can lure the game's biggest stars to Manchester City, despite not being able to offer Champions League football.Hughes is expected to spend big in the January transfer window with the financial muscle of new owners the Abu Dhabi United Group at his disposal. City broke the British transfer record to bring Brazil international Robinho to Eastlands from Real Madrid on September 1, and further big names are expected to follow. While many of the game's leading players are eager to feature in Europe's leading club competition, City can currently only offer UEFA Cup football. But Hughes feels their lofty ambitions for the future, coupled with the wages they are now able to pay, will aid their quest for talent. He told the Sunday Mirror: "We haven't got the lure of Champions League football to help us when we are negotiating for players, but there are other benefits for coming to Manchester City. "We feel we can offer big-name players something that little bit different - although obviously the aim is that we eventually have a team playing in the Champions League. "Whether that is money or just a different challenge I don't know. "But we are now in a position where Manchester City are a very attractive proposition to top players, even if we're not yet in the Champions League. "The arrival of Robinho was a signal of intent that there is now another major player in town. I am sure that there will be top players out there who are at different stages of their career who will now look at Manchester City as a viable option." teamtalk.com | |
| Brunt desperate to tackle United | Posted by Bill on Sat Oct 11 @ 13:30 GMT |
West Brom winger Chris Brunt is targeting a return to action in next Saturday's Premier League clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford.Brunt suffered a hamstring injury during the first half of the 2-1 home reversal by Aston Villa three weeks ago. It has ruled him out of Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifiers with Slovenia and San Marino but the former Sheffield Wednesday player is hopeful of facing the Red Devils. Brunt said: "The main thing is that the injury is not too bad and is coming along alright. "With no game this week, it gives me a bit of extra time to get things sorted so I'm looking to get fit for next Saturday at Old Trafford. "Injuries happen and I'm just glad I've only missed a couple of games against Middlesbrough and Fulham, touch wood - so that's a bonus. "I was a Manchester United fan when I was a kid. Hopefully I'll make it for next week and, if selected, go out and enjoy it." teamtalk.com | |
| Edwin hails Berba's aerial prowess | Posted by Bill on Sat Oct 11 @ 12:45 GMT |
Edwin van der Sar believes new striker Dimitar Berbatov has added attacking qualities that Manchester United previously lacked.Berbatov was a big-money arrival from Tottenham before the close of the transfer window and has taken time to hit his stride with the champions. But the Bulgarian has been an influential figure in United's current winning run, scoring his first goals for the club against AaB Aalborg and impressing against Blackburn Rovers last week. And United keeper van der Sar feels that the striker has brought a new dimension to the team's attack, compared to the traits possessed by Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez. "Berbatov has added qualities we didn't have before," said van der Sar. "We mostly played with Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney up front, but with Berbatov we've more possibilities. "He is tall and can be reached through the air." teamtalk.com | |
| Cats supremo puts faith in Keane | Posted by Bill on Sat Oct 11 @ 11:01 GMT |
Niall Quinn wants manager Roy Keane, in the final year of his current contract, to take Sunderland and his own career to the next level.The former Manchester United midfielder is the final year of his contract at the Stadium of Light and talks are ongoing over a new deal. Keane guided the Black Cats back into the Premier League in his first season at the helm and helped them survive last term. Sunderland chairman Quinn now hopes his former Republic of Ireland international team-mate can establish the North-East side in the upper reaches of the Premier League table. He told the Daily Express: "In some ways, if Roy signs this deal, it is the end of his apprenticeship and the start of him being a fully-fledged manager. "He has been through the learning curve, he has been successful. He is carrying the club on his shoulders. This is an opportunity for him to go forward. "Roy's winning mentality and philosophy is that 'we have done nothing yet'. I have to see that through, too. The owners are like that. The owners like the way that we are not satisfied with things. We don't go off celebrating. "The first part in our aim was to get out of the Championship; the second part was not to go straight back down - which we achieved. "Now the third part is to get up the league. We are not going to be playing Champions League football next year; let's be serious." Quinn is confident that a deal can be struck with Keane to ensure that he remains at the Stadium of Light beyond the summer. He added: "We have met his solicitor twice now. It is getting to an area where the next meeting we have we will be getting closer to putting something onto paper. "Roy is in a good place. He understands a lot more about football management now than from day one. "I didn't want to offer him a contract until I had a good plan in place behind the scenes. That is more important to Roy Keane. "The delay, if you can call it that, isn't because we were wondering about what we had to pay Roy Keane; we were wondering about what we would do with him for the next two years, we were wondering where the club could go." teamtalk.com | |
| Rooney praises Berbatov partnership | Posted by Bill on Sat Oct 11 @ 06:53 GMT |
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney reckons he will become a better player by playing alongside Dimitar Berbatov. But Rooney admits he is no longer guaranteed a place in the side. “The mere fact he is at Old Trafford should take me onto a different level,” he told the club’s official website. “I am not guaranteed my place in the side anymore.”
“More than anything I like playing just off a front man. It’s probably because I get on the ball more. I don’t like to be out of the game too long. “Some centre-forwards can stay up front, not touch the ball and just look to score goals. I don’t really enjoy doing that. I like to be involved in the game. Mainly at United I have been used in different roles but maybe the fact Dimitar has arrived will bring some continuity to my game.” “I like to play under pressure,” he added. “The other week when the manager left me out against Bolton, I was disappointed. I just wanted to get on the pitch as quickly as I could and show him what I could do. I like to prove people wrong if I can.” www.soccernews.com | |
| United Advance In Douglas Chase | Posted by Bill on Sat Oct 11 @ 06:44 GMT |
United Advance In Douglas Chase As Brazilian Attracting European Big Guns – Real & Barcelona Linked
According to reports, Premiership giants Manchester United have watched Gremio starlet Douglas Costa in action. It is said that United scout Jaap Stam saw the teenage attacking midfielder playing against Santos as the race to land the ‘the new jewel of Brazilian football’ gathers momentum with La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona also reportedly interested. 18-year-old Costa recently signed a new deal at the Olimpico Monumental, with the Imortal Tricolor increasing their prodigy’s buyout clause by £16million to £21million as Europe’s powerhouses circle one of the brightest talents in Brazil. Costa ha been in superb form for Gremio in the Campenato this season, with the Under-19 international being invited to train with the senior Brazil squad, but despite all the attention, Costa remains modest and just wants to play football. www.premiershiplatest.com | |
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