The Mancs remind me of us circa 1990/91

[Flight]

The Mancs have to do some serious spending in the summer. The last few weeks have shown they simply don't have a big enough squad as it is, without any injuries.

 

They are only where they are now because :

 

i) they have had ZERO injuries all season, up to now;

 

ii) Scholes, Giggs, Neville, Van der Saar and Ronaldo have had terrific season.

 

Scholes (33), Giggs (34) and Neville (33) are all pushing mid thirties, VdS is 132 (actually 37) and they are looking tired.

 

 

Not only do those players need replacing, but they need better squad players.

 

 

 

 

They've done well this season, but they remind me of us in 1990-91. At the top of our game, playing key players a season too long, squad not good enough and pipped to the post in the title race.

[Gilps]

Number of consecuticve seasons in which the Mancs have been likened to us in 90/91? Got to be at least 7 by now.

[AE]

Number of consecuticve seasons in which the Mancs have been likened to us in 90/91? Got to be at least 7 by now.

 

Aye and we forget the ages of Rooney, Ronaldo, Carrick, Vidic .......

Hats off to demento he keeps coming up with the goods.

We had just better hope he retires soon ;-)

[Barnesy_10]

for the last three seasons I have expected Giggs to retire, but time and time again he plays... and is still one of their most influential players. Yes, he will need replacing, and I can't think of many good enough to do that....

same with Scholes really... hes s*** at tackling, always has been.. but he still pops up and does some damage..

 

Its going to be interesting when they do retire, but to be honest... the ones that need replacing for them are Richardson, O'Shea and Fletcher... they are utter s****

 

Obviously I hope they don't replace them, but if any of them three were on our books I would love to see how long Rafa would have put up with them...

[Des]

Number of consecuticve seasons in which the Mancs have been likened to us in 90/91? Got to be at least 7 by now.

 

I think it goes back a good decade now. At least since Arsenal's double in '98.

[John am Rhein]

and pipped to the post in the title race.

 

hopefully you're right about that bit, at least

[Stevie H]

foster will replace van der sar next season at zero outlay.

[cymrococh]

I think it goes back a good decade now. At least since Arsenal's double in '98.

see also "Ferguson has lost it".

[Falconhoof]

foster will replace van der sar next season at zero outlay.

 

I don't think Foster is as good as the hype. He's English, young and on Man U's books so there's huge a will for him to be tremendous. He's been great on ocassions but his mistakes are conveniently glossed over.

[Kahnee]

see also "Ferguson has lost it".

 

But he has, I mean that Vidic bloke he signed was shi.... oh

[Flight]

Number of consecutive seasons in which the Mancs have been likened to us in 90/91? Got to be at least 7 by now.

 

 

About 4 years, in fact since they last won the Prem.

 

 

To be fair, I think its been a fair analogy for that long. Great teams declining doesn't happen overnight - it is so slow its not discernable.

 

 

 

My points are simple really :

 

 

i) their squad strength in depth is weak;

 

ii) a fair number of their key players are coming to the end of their careers.

 

 

 

I knew the response to this would be quite poor, but hopefully provoke some debate, after all much as I hate the b*****d Taggart has been a brilliant manager (though I reckon Queiroz is more important to them these days. BUT which of the following do people not agree with :

 

 

 

1. The Mancs have to do some serious spending in the summer. The last few weeks have shown they simply don't have a big enough squad as it is, without any injuries.

 

2. They've done well this season, but they remind me of us in 1990-91. At the top of our game, playing key players a season too long, squad not good enough and pipped to the post in the title race.

[Ostrich Man]

I don't think Foster is as good as the hype. He's English, young and on Man U's books so there's huge a will for him to be tremendous. He's been great on ocassions but his mistakes are conveniently glossed over.

Do you think the same about Carson?

[Stevie H]

I don't think Foster is as good as the hype. He's English, young and on Man U's books so there's huge a will for him to be tremendous. He's been great on ocassions but his mistakes are conveniently glossed over.

that's kind of what the mancs think of reina. young, error-prone and over-hyped.

[Raj]

that's kind of what the mancs think of reina. young, error-prone and over-hyped.

 

Then they clearly have no idea about football.

Foster has potential, but he's a long way off being better than either VDS or Reina

[Mike]

nothing like us in 91

they've got a young side, ours was aging.

[Gilps]

ii) a fair number of their key players are coming to the end of their careers.

 

Just as many are young - Ronaldo, Rooney, Vidic, Carrick. Ferdinand's not exactly an old man, nor is Saha. Foster will be there next season. It looks like they've already got Hargreaves and Nani sorted out for summer recruits.

 

Do you think the same about Carson?

 

I've never particularly rated him to be honest.

Edited April 24, 2007 by Gilps

[Falconhoof]

that's kind of what the mancs think of reina. young, error-prone and over-hyped.

 

Goals fly past Foster week in week out, its not all down to the fact that he's playing for Watford. I'm not sure Reina is a fair comparison.

 

Do you think the same about Carson?

 

 

I think Carson is comparable to Foster, i'm not going to sit here and argue the toss over which one is better, but we're not going to be having Carson in goal next season are we ?

 

I'm not saying Foster is a bad young keeper, my criticism is in the context of him replacing VDS as your number 1 next season. I don't think he's up to that standard.

[Ostrich Man]

I think Carson is comparable to Foster, i'm not going to sit here and argue the toss over which one is better, but we're not going to be having Carson in goal next season are we ?

 

I'm not saying Foster is a bad young keeper, my criticism is in the context of him replacing VDS as your number 1 next season. I don't think he's up to that standard.

dont think hell be replacing him though......be brought back into the fold...VDS another year.

[Falconhoof]

VDS another year.

 

Are you concerned about his recent form ?

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Doesn't A@A hold the copyright on this thread?

Edited April 24, 2007 by Behind Enemy Lines

[Frosty Jack]

To be fair, I think its been a fair analogy for that long. Great teams declining doesn't happen overnight - it is so slow its not discernable.

 

So it's some kind of weird timelapse thing? they've been in 90/91 for 9 years?

[Gilps]

So it's some kind of weird timelapse thing? they've been in 90/91 for 9 years?

 

Look on the brightside. If their 90/91 lasts that long then their decade-long equivalent of us in 93/94 promises to be a right f***ing laugh.

[Maldini]

nothing like us in 91

they've got a young side, ours was aging.

 

Their first team is

 

VDS - 36

 

Neville - 32

Ferdinand - 28

Vidic - 25

Heinze - 29 /Evra - 25

 

Ronaldo - 22

Scholes - 32

Carrick - 25

Giggs - 33

 

Rooney - 21

Saha - 28

 

Ours was (there or thereabouts, we had a pretty unsettled side that season):

 

Grobelaar - 33

 

Hysen - 32

Nicol - 29

Gillespie - 30 / Ablett - 25

Burrows - 22 / Staunton - 21

 

Houghton - 29

Molby - 27

McMahon - 29

Barnes - 27

 

Beardsley - 30

Rush - 29

 

So you're probably right 8 of the 13 regulars were either over 30 or about to turn 30 and only Staunton, Burrows and Ablett would be considered young.

[Guest efcrmagic]

It's the best decline I've ever seen, top of the league with 3 games left, FA Cup Final, 3-2 lead after the 1st leg of the Champions League Semi Final.

 

Players play until they're not good enough, not until they're too old. Scholes, Giggs, Neville are all still excellent players, it would be stupid to decide to bring in new players in the summer when in reality, needs not be.

 

Then bang on top of that Rooney, Ronaldo, Carrick, Ferdinand, Vidic and the imminent signing of Hargreaves, it's not looking too like a decline at Utd at all.

Edited April 24, 2007 by efcrmagic

[Ostrich Man]

Are you concerned about his recent form ?

not enough to get rid.