One of the world's best, but not United's.
Sir Alex bought Juan SebastienVerón under the pretence he was acquiring the best midfielder in Europe and, while only a moron can question Verón’s ability, he was never able to adapt to the Premier League. Since Verón’s disappointing tenure at Old Trafford, Sir Alex has refused to spend big on a superstar midfielder from a foreign league.
Sir Alex’s reluctance to overspend on foreign imports has led to us constantly missing out on every major target we’ve openly competed for against European powerhouses.
In the summer of 2003, we had struck a deal for Paris St. Germain’s Ronaldinho, only to be thwarted when Barcelona offered more and we refused to match it. In January 2004, we showed Robben around our training ground and were extremely close to signing him when the same thing happened with Chelsea. We recovered and won the Champions League four years later but, Porto and Liverpool won the Champions League in the seasons following our failure to buy the duo. Hardly Europe’s elite at the time. And what an increase our chances would have taken, had we paid that little bit extra and bought either of them. Similar things have since happened with Benzema, Essien, Ballack, Ozil, David Silva, Yaya Touré, Alexis Sanchez and now Eden Hazard. Each of those players was in our grasp, but we didn’t sign them because we refused to spend that little bit extra that was necessary. Have we ever competed for a player with a Barcelona or a Real Madrid and won?
Fans, who say players should choose us for trophies and Chelsea or City for money, are delusional. And sound like bitter, Liverpool fans. Chelsea are the champions of Europe and City of England. Both have more to offer than just the lure of money, and we need to realise that to compete requires us to spend big.
Some fans will also point to the fact that we only lost the title on goal difference, but why did we lose it and not win it by that means? Because we don’t have enough match winners. We don’t have enough players who can create something out of nothing when it really matters. Samir Nasri was average all season but stepped up to the plate when the pressure was on. He was another player we missed out on because we refused to match City’s offer.
In an ideal world, we would win the Treble next season with a midfield of Phil Jones and Tom Cleverley but, could anyone see that as a realistic option? The fans need to be excited. We won’t win the Champions League with Michael Carrick as our leading central midfielder. People eulogise over him, but would he get in any other of the top 7 teams’ midfields? Let alone the rest of Europe’s elite. He’s not a ball winner, and he doesn’t create goals. It’s OK to have a player like that when you have Cristiano Ronaldo, Tevéz, Scholes and Giggs in their peak playing around him, but when he needs to step up he isn’t good enough. With him in the team we are less attacking and play less attractive football; and we lost the league on goal difference at the end of the day. Carrick is a good squad player. A useful player to bring on when we’re 2-0 up with 20 minutes to go away from home, but if we have aspirations of ruling Europe, we can’t depend on him as our leading central midfield player. He needs to be replaced by a match winning playmaker and an aggressive ball winner.
Sir Alex is the greatest manager of all time and, there’s no one who could do his job better than him but, he needs to get with the times. He needs to target a player and spend whatever is necessary to obtain him. Sir Alex needs to realise that Verón was a one-off. He needs to realise that he may have to spend £35m on a player worth £25m; but, if that player scores the winner in the Champions League Final, can it still be classed as overspending?
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Yes you can say that these mercenaries went to City/Chelsea because they just won trophies but why did they go to those clubs when they hadnt won many trophies for years? I.e. Toure/Silva/Tevez etc etc etc, it seems to me they went for the money, no?
Okay, I have read a lot of comments. Everything you guys have said boils down to a few things. Who won the treble? SAF. He knows what he is doing. As for transfer funds, Fergie keeps saying he has money to spend, so unless he is lying then he has money to spend. As for Carrick, a lot of ppl don’t see. They only watch. Having a fit jones beside him showed us wat he is capable of. The goal he scored against QPR shows us his class. Having some1 take the defensive responsibilty off his shoulders wld let us see wat he rily is. Fergie said after the match that he wld probably have to fine carrick for going so far away from his position. It was a joke, but it makes u realise jst how disciplined Carrick is. I rate his passing very highly. He is on par with scholes wen it comes to passing accuracy. So y’all shld just chill and enjoy the ride. Peace
Carrick the crab is crap we need two central mids a left n right bk a central defender and a striker carrick hardly puts fear into the oposition when they read the team sheet nor does fletcher anderson park or tiny tom and as for the ginger ninja scholes god bless him at 38 how many games can he play get rid (bar scholes)n get some class bk into the side where slowly turning into arsenal with these budget buys did we need young or a central mid last yr ? If we sold carrick what caliber of club would want to sighn him none of europes elite there are quality players out there chomping at the bit get rid of the yanks or city will win it again goal difference or not lauding carrick youve all lost the plot he is crap just like the other spurs player berbaflop serious probs at united we need a clearout but instead we will hear about all these players bieng linked to the club and end up with b class players we were embarassed in the cl by everyone and then by athletico who are not ment to be in our league along with sporting lisbon ffs our midfield is as soft as baby s..t ask roy keane bryan robson ince ect ect
steve waite- the problem being that hazard doesn’t even want to play for Chelsea, he want’s to play for the european champions. what happens when the hard times start coming? Will he be loyal to Chelsea? no frigging way. Kagawa has handled himself well & i think will be a very good fit to our club.
This piece is alright until the Carrick bashing part. He won’t get ino the top 7’s team? Are you sure you are watching the right channel?
Yep sky sports champs lge uefa cup league cup fa cup ect ect carrick is shit what team is in for that mess everton stoke fulham wigan ect he would nt start for arsenal chelsea or city liverpool defo wont have him spurs dnt need him maybe newcastle n your settling for that as a united fan surley not. Anderson fletcher park evans also fall into the same bracket hold the ball my ass his nick name is carrick the crab for obvious reasons our midfield is soft and gets out played by lower level teams what channel are you watching mutv glazer vision
lets be realistic if we have the love for the team then lets speak it out. carrick is good but when it come to winning other trophies manchester united never future anywhere. lets review ueropa with athletico bilbao you can bear me witness the player couldnt hold the opponent coz the team lack more talented players. we will still win the epl because of the experience we have but not other leagues. furguson should focus to return the happiness we had those days.
Omg, you are such a crybaby! Since when united is all about trophies? Who gave you right to write here I have no freaking idea, however, your article has ZERO analytical informatio in Carrick part. What? You need someone who costs 50 million? F*** your logic of support. I bet you had no problem when class of 92 won the treble with NO overpaid “stars” in the team, if you even support team that long. United has always been about infrastructure it has now – growing a player and introducing him to the world. If you want transfers worth billions, go support real or city. I am mad as hell that we lost title (however, duck the title when we depend on QPR) but it must not change the philosophy that team has for decades! I hope with italian scandal – pogba will stay and our scouts will notice Kashia from Vitesse (they also have amazing kid on right wing no. 10 or 11 I guess).
BELIEVE
The 99′ team contained Stam who was world record for a CB and Yorke the 2nd highest fee paid by a British team. On top of that we had Keane who when bought was a record British signing as was Cole when we signed him.
United have always spent big! You are deluded, apart from the class of 92′, who else has made it from the ranks? Ronaldo and Rooney cost a lot of money so developing players that the world new would be top drawer doesnt count.
I agree infrastruture is important but you need to spend as well, 92′ will never happen again. that was a freak!
If u watched critically the two finals we lost to barca and europa 2nd leg to bilbao, u will accept with me that Carrick is not a cm Man U can rely on. We need a better player lyk Martinez.
Carrick was one of United’s best performers in the Barca final 2011 and Bilbao 2nd leg and the last i checked, football is a team game.How do you expect Carrick to do all the work? The reason why he looked ran over is because hes involved himself with the job of 2 midfielders. Try putting Martinez in a 2 man midfield with Giggs and you will see what i mean.
The abuse Andrew is recieving is ridiculous. Its a very good artile and makes many valid points. One point i must make is to the fella who said Veron was playing in one of United worst teams… are you serious? That was the strongest squad we have ever had, we were dominating the English League, we were just falling short in Europe after winning it in 99′, Sir Alex bought Veron and RVN and every United fan would have thought our fortunes were about to turn… we made the CL semi Final and lost the league narrowly to Arsenal. The problem was Sir Alex sold Stam at the start of that season and replaced him with a player on his last legs (Blanc)!
As for spending big, United have spent plenty of money in recent years but Sir Alex has made some bad mistakes in the market. yes, there is a gem every now and again but last summer we spent £50m. For all the potential De Gea and Jones may have they have not improved us in the slightest and Young is no more than an average Premiership player. Berba has done ok, but you have to remember he cost £30m! I dont expect a player to be just ok, he needs to be quality. After we signed him we reached 2 CL Finals in 3 years and he didnt start either… in my eyes that is not a successful big money transfer. The other summer we spent big was in 2007 and although unlucky on Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson have not lived up to the hype and not justified their price tags. So just on those 6-7 players we have overspent/wasted a lot of money. I wont even bother with the Bebe’s, Diouff’s etc.
Carrick… lets get real here, some of you quoting that he is the best English midfielder etc and banging on about stats is utter nonsense. How come in 11-12 years in top flight football no English Manager has had him anywhere near a starting line up? Not even close to the top midfielders in the country. Parker and Barry are much better and Lampard and Gerrard have been streets ahead of him in the past. Now, dont get me wrong, Carrick is good, probably had his best season yet. However, I agree with Andrew, as a Manchester United Midfielder you need to be quality, be able to run a agame, grab it by the scruff of the neck and drive the team. He has never done that and in Europe and against City in particular he was completely outplayed and bipassed. Its not point saying he isnt a xavi, or an Iniesta… thats the bloody point, he isnt! And that my friends is the problem, he is just good old Carrick and not top drawer Ince, Robson, Keane, Scholes or Hargreaves… these are the quality midfielders we have been used to and now that the rest of the team is diminishing Carrick is starting to look exposed. Yes we have won trophies with him in the team, cant argue that but like Andrew said as the years have gone by we have lost Ronaldo, Tevez, and Giggs and Scholes have got older and older.
It’s time to move on chaps, you need to evolve and make big decisions. Barca dropped Yaya after winning the CL to replace him with Busquets, withing 2 years they were champs again. Carrick has contributed to a lot of our recent successes but if we are to go again next year and challenge on all fronts we desperately need to improve CM
I have no trouble introducing young kids in the vein of the class of 92 as I have been a United Season Ticket holder since 1968. However, Fergie does not really give the kids a chance anymore, why wasn’t Pogba played more often this season, instead of Carrick/Giggs midfield? Can you see Barca or Real playing with a Carrick/Giggs midfield?
We have real talent coming through the reserves, but Pogba went Morrison went (though that might be a blessing) Fryers about to go when we are looking for cover for Evra!!?? We have Oliver Norwood who is a superb passer of the ball and an excellent free kick taker, but he was loaned out to Coventry !! We have Tunicliffe who is an excellent tackler but he could not make our bench!!??
I dont want United just to buy any expensive player, but the truth is for the past 4 seasons we have been crying out for a creative midfielder and a defensive midfielder, and neither of these have been bought. So Fregie, make up your mind, either go out and buy two world class midfielders or let the young boys from our reserves take over, but playing Carrick/Giggs in midfield is not the answer.
Giggs & Carrick Are currently better than Pogba by a mile. One day pogba could be excellent but we can’t bed him into the team while we’re losing Championships on goal difference. As for Norwood & Tunnicliffe, i think they’ll be a while if ever.