Another day, another United player "leaving Old Trafford"
According to reports England’s latest hero Ashley Young will complete his move to Old Trafford in the next few days.
While that’s about as exclusive a story as the one about Wayne Rooney buying himself a new barnet, there’s now been a new twist added to the Young arrival tale.
The Mirror- admittedly hardly a shining example of journalistic excellence – but occasionally right- claim that Young’s arrival at Old Trafford will signal the departure of Nani.
The Mirror notes: “Nani’s future at Manchester United will come under scrutiny once the Premier League champions have completed the capture of Ashley Young.
“The Portuguese winger is unhappy that United have refused to offer him an improvement on the £70,000-a-week contract extension that he signed last March.
“And with United set to complete the £15million signing of Young from Aston Villa now that the winger has returned from international duty with England, Sir Alex Ferguson could cash in on the 24-year-old if Real Madrid firm up interest in him by lodging a bid.
“Nani was bitterly disappointed that Ferguson left him out of his team to face Barcelona in the Champions League last week at the end of a season which saw him named United’s Player of the Year.”
I’m not too keen on the Young deal if I’m totally honest, simply because I don’t think we actually need him. Young’s a right footed player who plays on the left, but I feel United would be better served with a naturally left footed winger- an Antonio Valencia for the left hand side if you will.
The idea that Young coming to Old Trafford will mean the departure of Nani makes me even less enamoured of the deal. Young’s a top quality player don’t get me wrong, but I think Nani is genuinely better and a level above that of Young.
This may all be paper talk but I’d hate to see one of my favourite players who’s just enjoyed his best season at Old Trafford leave for a player who may or may not be United class.
I know Nani had a poor end to the season but I fully expect him to pick up the next one in similar fashion as he started 2010/11.
As for Young, if although it’s more likely, when he arrives, he will bring a proven Premiership pedigree, I’m just unsure whehter he’s quite good enough to raise us to the next level. Only time will tell…
Nani had a poor end to the season because of the way Fergie screwed with him when he was playing exceptionally well. As with Berbatov, Fergie took a player who was in excellent form and ruined it by inexplicably dumping him in fsvour of another player coming back from injury. With exceptionally talented and gifted players such as Nani and Berbatov, one simply doesn’t mess with a good thing when constant play is required to maintain the edge to their exceptional play. Yet by dumping them inexplicably in favour of a colossally out of form individual (Rooney) and a returning player (Valencia) Fergie undermined their confidence and their level of play. Little wonder that they cut frustrated and uncertain individuals later in the season. Berbatov in particular was treated appallingly yet showed immeasurable class by the way he handled himself throughout. Nani, even when he was allowed back on the pitch, got slotted in at his least favoured position, the left wing, which left him on a hiding to nothing.
As a man manager and as a tactician, Fergie put in arguably his worst season this year at United, regardless of the 19th title, which essentially fell United’s way when the shocking form of the team’s main rivals essentially allowed the club to stumble across the line in almost apologetic fashion. Fergie’s mishandling of Nani and Berbatov, the two outstanding players during the first half of the season, his pandering, blind loyalty, and double standards where Rooney are concerned, and finally his ridiculous and suicidal team selections for the CL final, mark this as a season to forget for Sir Alex. Age looks like it is beginning to show.
I had said to myself I will not post on Red Flag flying high, if they cant clear well intended posts quickly and be on the ball!.
However I cant ignore ‘Timbo’s’ post which in my opinion as normal carrys the same message as he deliver’s all around the net.He hates Wayne Rooney, and wont let the past be the past.
He had corrected the author of an article on the ‘Busby way’ just yesterday on a spelling and grammar error, of which we are all prone.’Fsvour’?
He further ripped up the young editor(older than myself ) on the Football United blog, over the Lady’s views on Ravel Morrison.He lambasted her which she replied to, he did not have the decency to reply, as he also failed to with the gentleman on the Busby way?.This ‘United’ supporter further carried the same message on the ‘Faithfull United’ forum regards Wayne Rooney and was shown short sharp shrift.To which he did not respond.
More up to date this Friday night in the Transfer Tavern when discussing the merits of Wesley Sneijder and Luka Modric he appeared with the same ‘spurious’ attack on Rooney, with his support of Dimitar Berbatov(rightly so).Making no attempt to comment on the thrust of the article on any occasion in the various forums.As can be witnessed close at hand on this occasion.Where does he mention the merits of Ashley Young in comparison to the fabulous Nani, who suffered a dip in form after that crunching tackle at Anfield bye Jamie Carragher, not some ‘imaginary’ ploy bye Sir Alex to isolate him, and ‘ostracize’Nani as this gentleman implies.
Anbody who seriously values Young over Nani, really should check out some Aston Villa sites on the net, and hear what fans that know him and watch him week in week out think!.They are hoping United come in a buy him from Villa. They see him as erratic and inconsistent.We would seriously alter/sell our’player of the season’who will only improve for a speculative punt?Do me a favour!
Manchester United achieved their goal to knock Liverpool of their perch, that was achieved as for this repeated and ‘boring’stumble across the line?….9 points line.With a bolstering up in defensive midfield we are good to go next season with the addition of a ‘World class’ goalkeeper and a ‘Bastain Schweinsteiger’defensive midfielder, the Premiership will fear United as always.In Europe United can deal with anyone on their day.Barcelona are the exception and thats simply called cycles, through their fabulous youth programme of which Manchester United’s as yet is not fully blossomed.It will in the course of the next 2/3 years, with luck and United’s coaching.
Timbo does us a favour Sir and comment on the article’s so we can learn eh.Thanks.
Ps Its a football forum not a blog on the fine writing of Englush!
If you’re posting at 5.50 am on a Sunday morning then I’m sorry but you’re going to have to wait as I cant stay up all night approving comments.
Why not! lmao
Ha ha! You’ll be over 30 one day! I need my sleep.
wow timbo. u speak as though u were actually there in the changing room. even with your beautifully written and some what poetic comment cant hide your MUTINY!!
yes all ur observations are right, but i think u’re interpreting it the wrong way. earlier this season, n thank god for this, nani and berba we’re the only 2 shining stars during united’s darkest period. ferdi was out valencia with a broken leg, park off for duties and rooneys got some woman problem plus chicha was still settling in. rooney is the kind of player u’d want to be in ur team cause of his work rate and hes a match winner, as proven against City and westham if im nt mistaken. the return of valencia n park brings a freshness to a club. the results were obvious, u hv to admit wht good tht little bit of freshness has brought to the club. berba and nani, as a team, did their part and are well awarded i suppose. who knows what happens behind the scenes. Just because the media says that these ppl are not satisfied dosn’t mean they are. remember this is united. u are nt judge by ur skills and ability, ur judged by what u cn bring to the team, eg G.Neville
not messing with a good thing dosen’t work in football. as proven by the recently sacked Ancelotti. he made some slight twitches to his team that won chelseas historic double in 09-10 season and where is he now?
please realise that EPL is not what it use to be. even against ‘smaller teams’ thing cant get difficult. yes this may be our worst team ever, but the fact that we are the best of the worst: to me it just proves the competitive level of EPL, and it also proves the brilliant genius SAF is.
i hv nothing to say about ECL final. theres no use in denying the fact that barca was the better team. n it makes us the bigger man to accept defeat no matter how bitter it is.
i wish i can take all ur harsh words and shove it side ways down one of ur orifice.. if not for this ‘aging man’you wont be walking tall infront of ur friends, pretending that 19th meant nothing to you. u must be one of those J.A’es who would love to see mourinho as SAF’s successor. U cheer every time United win but immediately blame SAF’s age after a lost. theres only 2 words id like to say to u, the 1st one has 4 letters and the other is ‘you’.
Agree entirely; it would be sad to see Nani leave after he has proven himself after a tough few years. Were it not for that d*****d Carragher’s tackle on him at Anfield, he would no doubt have been even more pivotal for us in the run-in.
Young is good, but I don’t see how he can take us higher – I see him as being more of a ‘keep us where we are’ kind of player.
In Sir Alex we trust, but I hope Nani stays at United.
If Real Madrid now want Nani then he will be gone. Fergie has had every opportunity to treat Nani respectfully, but he has his favourites and he always looks to their provision first. Nobody can deny Fergie has favourites. If he had picked the right team for the CL final, I am sure we would have at least not been so humbled by Barca. Yet he persevered with Valencia when he could not beat his defender – not once, and contributed nothing for us from the wing. Nani needed to have come on at half time, and for the reason I hope Nani does go to another top club where he is appreciated by the boss. Nani plays better than Ronnie for Portugal, and he made the assist for Postiga’s goal tonight, and came off 4 minutes before the end to a standing ovation, and the crowd shouting Nani! I think Fergie is making a mistake with keeping young and letting Nani go – but that is Fergie all over isn’t it?
I think nanny is a better player than young…We need atlist 1 players with many tricks and in Nani he has got the talent to get past defenders,etc…But i haven’t ever seen young doing that…
Nani is an established player bt young is a promising one.both good 4utd.bt nani shld b more precised&focus in hs game lyk Valencia if he’s 2remain else sold out
i think nani is a fantastic player compared to young but his only problem is that sometimes he is sting with the ball. The main problem at man utd is now the manager coz sir is now old and tired so lets persuade him to retire and replace him with a young manager like jose or martinez.
@timbo
Sir Alex did not screw with Nani, as he did with Berbatov. Nani’s form went out of the window after that game against Liverpool where he gave away an assist and got taken out by Carragher
Stumble over the line? We won by 9 points if you did not notice. If we are as weak as you make us out to be, the more we should credit Sir Alex for helping us punch above out weight isn’t it?
I guess you should be supporting City since United and our manager is such a bad prospect
Spot on mate….well said.
i think ashley is a gud addition, cos he really understand d england style n pattern. But lets retain nani cos he had his best season in man u shirt ever since he was sign n when injury comes he cud replace d space on d flanks. Young is very gud in set pieces, and always serious tru out 90mins but nani is a joker n inconsistent. Pls get me wesley and ashley 2 rejufenite d midfield and d attacking force dat we v lost.
Why United still buying winger ? I think they have enough good winger – nani and valencia. They should buy creative midfielder but not winger because scholes has retired and giggs is becoming older.
Great post, i fully agree,. Nani was in form of his life but by the moment tyqt our right sided north south train came back he was dropped to the bench. I just want fergie to open up his eyes and stop his blind loyalty in players such as giggs who is far past it, park and valencia. Valencia is a hard working winger ala park but stronfer and faster we saw him at the finals and it was clear to see that his talents were pretty useless and from the time that nani came on we started to create something. Nani gives us that genius aspect he could be shite for 60min but then go past 3 players and score a goal or give an assist. Young is a poor mens nani, if fergie really wants the upgrade the squad he should go after the likes of sanchez, hazard, ribery or carzola. Take nani’s stats his goals and assist ratio in the past 4 years and you will see that production wise he is the best winger playing in epl. Right now he is the best winger in epl and no one can top him and you dont have much more beter wingers the him in the world either.
So in fergie i dont trust….
So in fergie i dont trust? Really who do you trust then?
Take nani’s stats his goals and assist ratio in the past 4 years and you will see that production wise he is the best winger playing in epl.
– he is the best winger at the mo but his stats over the last 4 years are not as good as you think
but we should not sell him