***Official Manchester United Thread*** Part 2

[belfast_bomber]

What is Darron Gibson for?

Smalling looks class.

 

[Kaan]

I assume our game wont be on SBS, so they can show the 2nd leg?

That's right

 

[A Bit High]

Thoroughly professional performance away from home. Never looked in trouble (gee Smalling puts in another top effort) at the back and looked dangerous when Nani had the ball and could keep his feet.

Should get the job done at OT.

On a downer, the Gunners have held on for a 1-0 win at home to Stoke to close the gap at the top of EPL to 1 point with a game in hand to the good guys!

 

[belfast_bomber]

A drab and uninspiring performance. Our midfield is a mess.

I suppose I should be happy with the result, but it's only a draw. Nothing special.

 

[manureid]

Once Scholes came on for that bloke....we looked a bit better. And Smalling is looking the goods. Was Chicarito on the bench...I missed the first 10 minutes and did not see the bench. Might have been worth throwing on late?

 

[Jolldo87]

Not the best result be we should be good enough at home to get over the line.

Once Scholes came on for that bloke....we looked a bit better. And Smalling is looking the goods. Was Chicarito on the bench...I missed the first 10 minutes and did not see the bench. Might have been worth throwing on late?

Yep, he should've come on for sure.

 

[Crimson King]

What a snoozefest.

 

[Crimson King]

What is Darron Gibson for?

He'll make one good decision and then proceed to make 5-6 crap decisions in a row.

 

[A Bit High]

He'll make one good decision and then proceed to make 5-6 crap decisions in a row.

His only decision should be to stay at home!

 

[mojito]

Apparently our away support ran into trouble with the French police.

 

[NMFCMUFC]

Remember when we travelled away and tried to win?

I mean yeah we got some Leverkusens, Dortmunds etc but at least it was thrilling.

We won the trophy by defending for 180 minutes against Barca and now Ferguson believes this is how its done.

 

[SupportMe]

Remember when we travelled away and tried to win?

I mean yeah we got some Leverkusens, Dortmunds etc but at least it was thrilling.

We won the trophy by defending for 180 minutes against Barca and now Ferguson believes this is how its done.

Last season we went to the San Siro (which is usually a graveyard for us) and won 3-1 didn't we?

 

[belfast_bomber]

Last season we went to the San Siro (which is usually a graveyard for us) and won 3-1 didn't we?

3-2, Seedorf scored late, but yeah. Should've put the Bayern away leg to bed before their late rally as well.

But this year's side just look so jaded. There's no joy in our football at the moment. It's cynical, lowest common denominator stuff.

 

[NMFCMUFC]

Last season we went to the San Siro (which is usually a graveyard for us) and won 3-1 didn't we?

Took an early Ronaldinho goal and AC Milan assault to spark us.

and of course Antonio Valencia.

 

[Crimson King]

We really lack a playmaker with the system we try to play away from home. Scholes is boss when he's on but he can't do it week in, week out.

We are fine defensively in central midfield with Carrick and Fletcher but we really need a playmaker to compliment them.

I mean, ffs, we had Gibson as the playmaker

 

[NMFCMUFC]

That's exactly it.

Ashley Young is confirmed but tbh, with Tonio fit we've got a full list of wingers.

If only that Kaka loan deal wasn't just bullshit...

 

[belfast_bomber]

Ashley Young is confirmed

What? WHAT??

 

[A Bit High]

We just lack cutting edge and any sort of creativity, how the hell we are top of the league still staggers me!

 

[belfast_bomber]

There were an Englishman, a Scotsman and an Irishman...

...United's midfield.

 

[DaSawx]

Get Wesley Sneijder

 

[Crimson King]

Would rather Sahin, tbh. Scholes MKII with his passing range.

Whether we are willing to spend the money required is another matter. I think we'll get a new GK and one of Henderson/Rodwell in the summer and that will be it. Though, apparently, we've shown a keen interest in Alexis Sanchez.

 

[belfast_bomber]

Ferguson tried to buy Sanchez at the time he went to Udinese in the first place.

We're in the realms of fantasy football but I reckon Sneijder woiuld be a good 'un. His experience alongside some of the lads coming through, the Pogbas and Tunnicliffes and Morrison's, would be just the shot. Rodwell I'm not so convinced by, he's clearly talented and has an eye for goal, as a player I like him but he never seems to get a long run in the side, and what we need is someone we can build a side around, I'm not sure he's ready for that.

 

[Crimson King]

IIRC, Sneijder signed a new long term deal with Inter a few months back.

In regards to Rodwell, I think he has all the right attributes (both offensively and defensively) to be a very good central midfielder for us in the future but the query you raised about him is spot on. I wouldn't mind if we signed him but I certainly hope we go for an established player (playmaker) in the summer.

 

[Crimson King]

Getting away from dreamland for a second..

The Glazer family are primed to make a definitive statement confirming they have no plans to sell Manchester United when the club's quarterly financial figures are announced on Friday, according to ESPNsoccernet sources.

It will be a major shock if the Glazers fail to reaffirm their total commitment to the club in the wake of persistent rumours they will sell out to the Qatar royal family in a £1.6 billion takeover deal.

The quarterly accounts are set to also underline why the Glazers would be reluctant to sell Manchester United for much less than £2 billion, as commercial enterprises showing a meaningful rise.

Meanwhile, the club has moved to correct recent figures detailed in articles based on a report by business analysts Sport+Markt.

The figures, suggesting the club's retail revenue is down by 10%, are based on the accounts of Manchester United Merchandising Limited and as a result represent the sales in just one store - namely the megastore at the club's Old Trafford stadium, which saw a 10% drop in the number of games played at the stadium from 32 to 29.

United's commercial director Richard Arnold said: "The results of our merchandising business have continued to set records within the club, despite the figures for 2009 including 10% more games at Old Trafford, and the impact of winning the Premier League and appearing in two Champions League finals. The business has continued to grow in 2010.

"To achieve that result using figures based only around stadium sales is remarkable. When sales from the rest of Manchester, the UK and Europe are added to those figures, it's a clear demonstration of the unique strength the club has.

"In addition, the report represents an area of the world which contains only one in 14 of our 333 million global fans. The remaining 93% because they are largely based in an area of rapid commercial growth, such as China, the USA, India and Indonesia, have meant that 2010 was a record year for our partnership with Nike.

"This season, following the launch of the new Nike/Aon branded shirt, has seen sales far in excess of previous years, resulting in sell-outs in many shops around the world.

"Merchandising is just one part of our very successful commercial strategy, which has seen those revenues increase from £42.5 million in 2005 to £81.4 million in 2010."

There is no question that United's appeal remains strong, the brand continuing to be a commercial success, despite an escalating wage bill, and the need for reinvestment in the team with Gary Neville and Edwin van der Sar having announced the end of their playing careers and Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs unlikely to play on beyond the end of next season.

However, it is being estimated that United will be the first club in the world to break the £100 million a year barrier for commercial profits - and this quarterly financial report could indicate that this might be the year they achieve it thanks to their Nike partnership.

 

[Crimson King]

Third post in a row but here's team news:

Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed he expects Rio Ferdinand to miss Manchester United's crucial midweek trip to Chelsea.

"Not much has changed on the injury front," Ferguson said. "We're trying to get Ryan [Giggs] fit for the Wigan game. Michael Owen is back training and could be available for tomorrow. Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans should both be back for Liverpool next weekend.

"Ji-sung Park is still two weeks away. Anderson will probably be back in three weeks, he's back in Portugal now and we'll have to see how he progresses.

"[Antonio] Valencia is doing well in training but it's difficult to assess when he'll be back. We have to make a decision as to how he feels given he's been out for so long. He could be back in two weeks hopefully."