Date: 21st August 2012 at 1:40pm
Written by:
RVP joins United. Still doesn't seem real.....

RVP joins United. Still doesn't seem real.....

There’s an inevitable and exhaustive pressure that comes with the territory of being United’s marquee summer signing. In the Summer of 08, United splashed £30.5 million on Dimitar Berbatov. With the hefty price tag comes a certain expectation of return, and he has never really justified his price tag in the minds of the fans. When Cristiano Ronaldo left for Real Madrid in 2009, it was Antonio Valencia from Wigan who was put under extreme pressure to somehow replace the miracle man. Last season, the seemingly irreplaceable Edwin van der Sar called time on a glittering career, and it was up to the slight Spaniard, David de Gea to step up to the plate.

Until last week, Shinji Kagawa looked set to be United’s major summer acquisition, until the sensational capture of Robin van Persie from Arsenal. It’s no secret that Kagawa is an exceptional talent, having lead his Dortmund team to two Bundesliga titles in consecutive years which included the domestic double last season. He looked promising on both legs of the pre-season tour and was chucked in the deep end last night at Goodison by Sir Alex Ferguson. He started centrally behind Wayne Rooney in a 4-2-3-1 formation but occasionally dropped out left to allow Danny Welbeck to play through the middle. Despite the dogged Everton defense, Kagawa looked busy and hungry to get involved. He showed glimpses of potential, settling into his work before looking to play one touch with Rooney in particular, on the edge of the Everton area.

There was an expectation amongst some quarters that Kagawa was going to be the difference between losing the title on goal difference last season and winning it back in 2013. That’s a lot of pressure and expectation for a young foreigner to deal with. With the signing of van Persie, there has been a huge upsurge in optimism coming from the United players. David de Gea, Wayne Rooney, Michael Carric, Ryan Giggs, Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck have all expressed their pleasure at the news of the signing. Although he only played 25 minutes against Everton, and never really got into the game, van Persie is a player who unlike Kagawa, is well used to the rigors of the English game. In the lead up to the Everton game from Thursday onwards, Kagawa hardly warranted a mention. van Persie’s signing could be a blessing if not for his goals, but for the fact that it will allow Kagawa to settle into United life in the background without the glare of United supporters around the world.

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18 responses to “Shinji Kagawa, Already Reaping The Rewards Of RVP”

  1. man u gettin DESPERATE says:

    shinji is an astute piece of business…. unlike RVP…..

  2. Rob says:

    Despite the result, I thought Kagawa was a stand out player for United last night. A real talent and we will benefit grately for signing him.

    He’s a workhorse with a seemingly endless battery and bags of talent to boot.

    As for RVP, I dont think that was the right game to give him his debut, it was the link up and lack of defence that cost us yesterday, the Everton game came just a little too quick for RVP in my opinion.

  3. manured says:

    What the fuck, seems our leader has made a right cock up, fatman and robbin is right to fucking has beans fergy get it sorted or just leave we are sick of hearing you say well we did not have the edge you live in the fucking past get the zimmer frames out for the oldies plus one for your self, your nose lite up last night so get of the wine

    • fernley says:

      leave? you clearly have no idea what tour talking about. The reason we lost was because of our defense.. we had two midfielders in our back four and carrick could nt handle fellaini. Everton are a good team and they came out all guns blazing, if we had a full defence then valencia could of been playin in midfield and we would of scored.. nani wasted every chance he had to cross the ball in. Overall soon ad we have a full back four we will be a force to be reckoned with!

  4. Legend(Giggs) says:

    I think Rooney is off form, what do u think guys?He cant even trap or pass da ball properly.
    I watched UTD preseason games and Rooney only had a decend game against Hanover, i think Rooney needs 2 b dropped a little bit coz thats da only way he will raise his game, dude expects and knows that he is always in da starting 11.
    2ndly, Tom Cleverley is a promising midf he saw lot of da ball last nite but he lacks experience, imagine if we played Madrid with da likes of Alonso&Khedira, they will outplay us, i really think we need a decend ball winning midfielder, the stats show our Midfielder won less than 10 tackles and only intercepted 3 times in da whole game against Everton.
    I was surprised hw we let Jack Rodwell join Shiteh coz he is a gud midf.Sell Nani too and buy Muniain from Bilbao, i am running out of patience with Nani, we cant b hoping every season that he may cum gud and b consistent.

    In Light of all this, here is my prefered line up.

    ———————-De Gea———————-

    –Rafael——-Vidic————-Rio——–Evra–

    —————–Carrick—–Scholes————–

    Valencia—————Kagawa————-Young—

    ———————-Van Persie——————

    Subs:Rooney, Wellbeck, Nani,Anderson, Cleverley,Smalling, Buttner,Jones,Lindegaard

    • fernley says:

      rooney out? seriously? if rooney was out of the game we would have no midfield play at all.. rooney does everything.. ill admt his attacking play isn’t the best anymore but i would never want him out the team. My team: De gea, Rafeal, Vidic, Smalling, Evra, Valencia, Kagawa, Cleverly or Carrick, Young, Rooney, Van Persie.

      • lamar says:

        amen, brother.

      • RespecttoS says:

        Agreed. Rooney playing in front of Kagawa works.

        Rooney was not ready for some of kagawa’s pass,
        a very short back pass in the crowded area
        in front of the goal etc.

        But just wait. Just like Kagawa said Rooney senses when he’s going to get an opening to shoot. he shapes up a little and his sensor for kagawa pass gets better.

    • Matt says:

      My Team:

      —————————-De Gea———————-
      –Valencia——Vidic————Smalling——–Buttner–
      ——Much Needed CDM—–Scholes/cleverly——
      —–Rooney—————Kagawa————-Young—
      —————————Van Persie——————

      Think Scholes evra and rio should end up being bit part players this year as they are a little past their best. We desperately need a Strong Defensive mid to stop us being overrun in midfield (Tiote/M’Villa).

      Rooney Kagawa and Young could all interchange positions. Nani is a bit of a joke 1 good performance every 15 games not good enough to have a player that goes missing in the majority of matches and gives the ball away cheaply.

      Quite like valencia at right back as he Rafael is still questionable defensively and valencia is strong and can still provide crosses from right back which is the best part of his game. However his freedom to go forward and deliver balls into the box is dependent on a CDM coming in to mop up and cover for any counter attacks

  5. Lutman says:

    Bring on mousa dembele, imo the missing link since d departure ov cr7 we’ve kind ov lost that aura ov turning defence in 2 attack in split seconds + slot in buttner right away coz evra is these days more ov a liability than am asset its no time 4 sentiments utd is 2 big 2 lose an openning game am devasteted.

  6. Lutman says:

    Bring on mousa dembele, imo the missing link since d departure ov cr7 we’ve kind ov lost that aura ov turning defence in 2 attack in split seconds + slot in buttner right away coz evra is these days more ov a liability than am asset its no time 4 sentiments utd is 2 big 2 lose an openning game am devastated.

  7. bitullz says:

    @ legend… Me thinks u are rite bout Rooney… He has been off form for a while now and needs to be dropped so he can u his game… As for nani? Dat dude is just a nuisance in my opinion, but its just my opinion though. All in all ur first eleven looks good, but we cud also play a 4-3-2-1 formation with rooney and kagawa playing just behind vP

  8. mac Henry(fish) says:

    i tink man u is good and all we need is a central defender,a creative 10 like kagawa and a second man for vidic.and i also tink we have to play RVP alongside Rooney .it will give us a perfect result…

  9. Greenhoff77 says:

    Love this place you make me laugh and puke all at the same time …..as i write this …8 responses have been placed and over half of those say the buissness for Van Persie is bad….and how the leader has lost his marbles…and whats the betting that when and if Van Persie starts hitting the mark they will be saying how they knew he would be the best thing since sliced bread….

    the problem with some of you is you have been spoiled…yes thats right SPOILED…Rooney, Van Persie,Ronaldo,Cantona,Scholes,Giggs

    try having 30 seasons of players like Davenport, Peter Barnes Alan Brazil and god forbid Gary Birtles.

    you have never had it so good at man utd…but yet all you can do is moan and moan about who’s not got what and why didnt we sign him instead of him.

    I forgot how many of you are great managers and can solve whatever problems the team has got from your armchair.

    stick to your football manager games and let the manager of a real football club get on with his.

    • Greenhoff77 says:

      P.s i bet half of you thought Shinji Kagawa was a place in Japan and not an actual footballer (Muppets)

  10. Up law maker says:

    Kagawa s a gr8t player an load’s of talent ready 2 explode in as much as we lose our openin agains’t everton dose nt we ar nt on d rite track of premier leauge glory so wat we ar sufferin is lack of defence. We wish dm well an a tremendous season ahead, Rag till death.