Manchester United beat Aston Villa 2-0 in the Third Round of the FA Cup, with Wayne Rooney making all the difference in the victory. Before coming on the field, it looked as though the game would end in a scheduled replay at Old Trafford. Rooney was involved in the build up to the first goal, which Ronaldo put away, and scored our second. He also fired just inches over the bar and provided Michael Carrick with a great goalscoring opportunity, after playing in a perfect long range ball.New England manager, Fabio Capello, was at the game, and was very impressed with the effect Rooney had. “To see a player like Wayne Rooney come on as a substitute in such good form and have a major impact on the game was good for me on my first day,” Capello said. “It was very good to start work today.”
Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, Owen Hargreaves, Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick were the English players on the park for United, as well as several English Villa players, giving Capello plenty to consider.
“It was good to be at a game where a lot of the players were English players,” added Capello.
This is quite a contrast to the Arsenal team put out by Arsene Wenger, with Justin Hoyte the only English player to feature for the Gunners this weekend after he was introduced with less than twenty minutes to play.
Does having English players in the team make a difference? Would you be happy enough to see so few at United?
What an excuse for an article! lol you are good! Keep up the good work.
id love to c more english players at arsenal . but in arsene we trust and if he finds no english player being worthy of playing for arsenal. than let it be this way
the youth system in this country is a shameballes not enough english players have that cutting edge as the south americans spainish itailian even africans
Rio Ferdinand – 30m
Owen Hargreaves – 17m
Wayne Rooney – 30m
Michael Carrick – 17m
I wont mention Wes Brown cause I got more chance than him to getting to south africa in 2010.
Thats an average of 25m per player and one home grown talent that doesnt get into the team when everyones fit.
Kolo Toure – 300k
Gilberto Silva – 4m
Eduardo – 7.5m
Bacary Sagna – 6m
When we signed Gilberto he had just won the world cup, this summer he captained Brazil to the south american cup. Kolo is off to Africas version of the continental cup and consistently plays to the highest standard. Sagna and Eduardo are both summer signings so cannot be judged but the signs look good, put it this way if it was a choice of carrick and the canadian for thirty or Eduardo and sagna for ten million I would take the latter. Oh yeah and while your English boys are on the beach this year with thier wags, ours will be at the EUROs.
I am positive you wont print this cause I notice you never print anything that burst your Man U bubble.
Good article we keep hearing about all these super young british players wenger has ready to setp into the first team, yet where were they?
Whinger and his 1 british player in a match 16 should be brought to light and
well done for drawing attention to it.
If I was an Arsenal fan, I would have no reason to worry about how many British players are in the starting 11 or even 16. However, I would be a bit upset to say the least if Sir Alex Ferguson left and with him the British backbone of our squad. Our starting 11 usually has half / half when it comes to players from these Isles or abroad, but that creates a balance and as a United fan I’ve become accustomed to being proud of the way we do keep a great balance. For your Tevez there’s Rooney, for Ronaldo – Giggs, Anderson-Hargreaves, Ferdinand-Vidic, Evra-brown and so on.. I am glad we are a club that is run in such a way.
Jimmy Bob,
British players? There aint no such thing. When have “Britain” ever qualified for a world cup? When have Arsenal or Man United or anyone else for that matter ever won the “British” league title? You may think that you’re doing your bit for the national side but what use are the likes of Giggs, Fletcher, O’Shea etc. to our national side? They may as well be French FFS. I can’t help but think that this article is just an excuse to have a pop at Arsenal, I mean since when have the fans who sing “Argentina, Argentina” to try and wind up their more patriotic rivals ever given a shit about the national side anyway?
First of all, is it any of another teams concern? Granted, it could be the concern of the national team. However, it should not be blamed on Wenger. Arsenal, until recently didn’t have the money to buy English talent…So had to conserve, buying cheap unknowns. There are no cheap unknown English players. The media would already be touting them as the next bla bla bla…I don’t think its a concern. Especially to bring it to the attention of United fans. To be honest, I don’t think they care either.
I thought (like me) he thought it would be a good game – mistake…but probably he went because he’s the England manager… I know thats kinda wacky… but ya know… it seemed sensible to me.. No?
Jimmy Bob. Are you from another planet? A British player would generally be from Britain, are you with me? England, as well as Wales, Scotland and N.Ireland are the countries that form Britain, geddit?
Now if you actually paid attention to anything I commented on you would have answered your own Questions.
I mentioned 10 players, 5 British and 5 from abroad. Now, my point was we have a great balance of British and foreign talent. Which we do. It is also fare to suggest we have a backbone of british players, namely Scholes, Neville, Giggs, Brown.. who have been playing at the top for years.
Scot asked: Does having English players in the team make a difference? Would you be happy enough to see so few at United?
My answer is yes, as a MUFC supporter I am used to having a big squad equally balanced with many British players. Arsenal in what is a considerably short space of time have transformed into a Foreign legion, not that their players are of a lesser quality, it’s just the way it is.
I couldn’t care less about how England (yes, I’m English) do, however I care about how all of the Manchester United players do for their respective clubs before becoming the scapegoats for a nations inability to perform as a team.
UNITED>ENGLAND.
Anthony, I had a good laugh reading your post, especially when you described Gilberto Silva as the player who “captained Brazil to the south american cup (Copa America).” Too bad he’s a joke in Brazil because he can’t pass 5 yards. Everyone’s urging Dung to to let Anderson to take his spot which will happen within the next two years for sure.
You have a better chance of making South Africa than Wes Brown, the first choice right back of the champions at the moment? You’d certainly be more sensible to say that about Clichy
I admire Arsene Wenger’s dealings in the transfer market; he does buy plenty of bargains not to mention Theo Walcott who I’m not surprised you didn’t list there. In all seriousness, Arsenal do buy plenty of foreign talent for good prices which is good for the club financially because you have talent like Fabregas and Clichy while we have Scholes and Gary Neville who we paid how much for?
More important than an English identity of a club are the players coming through the youth ranks. Roy Keane described the class of ‘92 as the backbone of the club in the future in his autobiography saying that they were United through and through. He was actually jealous of them.
Why did Fletcher travel to Liverpool ahead of Nani when Carrick was already on the bench? Who will chase back 100 yards against Liverpool? Perhaps more importantly, who will understand the importance of the match and create the right atmosphere?
How come O’Shea is still at the club when Arsenal would have let him go like they did to Sidwell or Pennant? Chelsea would easily have sold him and brought in Miguel Veloso. But the core of this club is built around homegrown players and that’s why Manchester United have ongoing success.
People might mention Solskjaer as an example of a player ingrained into the club but not homegrown but he’d been at the club for 10 years. How long has the longest serving player at Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool been playing for their clubs? None of their players would dare dream of 17 years like Giggsy which is why while Malouda and Hleb are certainly very talented players, you’ll never get that identity those players bring to your club. I’m not going to say Giggs is more committed because that’s disrespectful to players I don’t know personally but let me put it simply. When was the last time Arsenal went for a treble where every player worked their socks off twice a week in April and May? One year it’s a double and the next, fifth place. One year the FA Cup and the next a Champions League final. Just read into the statistics and they’ll tell everyone exactly why I’d take Neville any day over Daniel Alves and Scholes over Fabregas
I also think the article was written with the sole intention of having ‘a pop’ at the Arsenal, although I have to say that given half a chance, Gooners would have ‘a pop’ at the Mancs – It’s the way it is and the way we like it.
I must say however, that we are called Arsenal, not England or Britain and under the current EPL rules, we neither have to nor benefit from fielding English / British players. Arsene just wants the best players for his system and I love the way that no one notices until we start to do well. They then put Arsenal down by implying Arsene is in someway anti-English instead of trying to better themselves and beat him.
This anti-foreigner campaign is really getting boring now. It’s jingoistic and bordering on racism. England should be better than that and we should try hard to recapture our place as a leading football nation rather than resorting to just slagging off anyone who isn’t English.
This anti-foreigner campaign is really getting boring now. It’s jingoistic and bordering on racism
It’s commenst like the above that make arsenal fans look like idiots, in order to stop people pointing out the truth eg they only have 1 british player in their match day 16 they use words like racism , when there is clearly no need.
It is not racist to point out the facts and the facts are that
a) arsenal have only 1 britihs player in their match day 16
b) Arsenal and their “super skilled” foreign players have won nothing in the last 2 years.
Nothing racist there just 100% facts.
If Gooners don’t like it then too bad the truth hurts
I’d just like to point out 3 things:
1) Arsenal are a top quality side who play great football.
2) It is NOT only Manchester Uniteds fans who point out the way Arsenal usually have no more than 2 British players in their match day 16. Pundits all over the TV, Radio and anywhere else football exists do exactly the same.
3) Comment 2 was not borderline racist.
1) Good English players are hard to find and are expensive to buy and keep. Only Man-U, who have the biggest stadium and lots and lots of money can afford to buy good English players and pay them huge salaries.
2) After what Chelsea did to the premier league by buying average players at exorbitant prices, Arsene realised that for the good of Arsenal FC, he should buy potentially good players and make them into world class players.
3) If Ferguson replaces his foreign legion with English players and finishes in the bottom half of the league, alll Man-U fans who posted the above comments will request that he be FIRED!!!!!
4) Maybe Capello went to see how Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and Gareth Barry would fare against Vidic, Evra, Anderson, Ronaldo, Tevez, etc. who knows. Why should he watch players whose places in the team is already assured when there isn’t any meaningful competition soon?
It is not racist no. But stupid yes. Why for some reason, does Arsenal, and Arsene Wenger have to buy English? Why does only having 2 English players in the squad constitutes to….Well I dont even know what peoples problem is. People just keep mentioning Arsenal have no English players…Why is this a constant concern? Who cares.
Nice post ” Roy Keane”. But Man Utd, for 3 years didnt win anything either. Arsenal have always been consistent, for 9 years straight they never finish below 2nd. And when they did, they made the CL final. Brits or no Brits…It doesnt make a difference. Besides I think this is what Arsene wants to do, bring in heaps of young players, so after 3-4 years they have a sense of patriotism to the club, just like you said about the school of ‘92…Brits or no Brits, who cares?
Roy Keane,
You make some good points.
1. In two years when anderson replaces gilberto, gilberto will be old enough for a retirement home.
2. I didnt mention walcott cause we were talking about the FA cup squads, however this is a good point as the money we paid for theo would buy both ade and RVP. This shows how you pay over the odds for english players.
3. Oshea is a squad player, fair enough. Fletcher?…….. well lets put it this way, you were respectful in your post so I will be in mine.
4. The good players you mentioned that came through the ranks did so a long time ago. I was in school when scholes came onto the scene, trust me the just for men isnt that far away for me LOL, it hasnt been a coveyer belt of talent coming through has it?
5. I think you are right about having a core of players that identify with the club, but even this doesnt garentee succsess look at the spice boys lol.
As for the racist comments etc from other people, I think the point that the other Arsenal fans are making is that its stupid to blame us for England being pony. If there are so many good english players around that are not making it because of imports, why is the championship not a great division? why is it only one step up from hackney marshes?
Anyhow it should be a good title race this year from the two best attacking, football playing teams in the division.
Iam really surprised that “Gigsy Wigsy”stayed so loyal to a football club that probrably pays him more per week than any other club bar 3 or 4 other clubs can afford.One’s loyalty to a football club is only tested when another club offers you a more attractive contract(when was the last time a football player chose to move for less money apart from when forced to due to age or lack of ability/) so making it a financial incentive to move.It is therefore logical to believe that due to having played at “the richest club in the world”or so they were called for a few years,that Giggsy’s loyalty was not tested that often.
So I assume that Arsenal players like Adams etc who were also well paid should not be regarded as loyal either
Eddy?
Anthony no one said Arsenal are to blame for England under acheiving however
a) by playing no english players in your team you aren’t helping the national side
b) your fans do play the “racism” card when there is clearly no need
what is racist in pointing out only one of arsenal’s match day 16 is british?
Anthony, please allow me to be disrespectful on your behalf because I’m a United fan and can say what I like about that absolute waste of space Fletcher! Nobody bar the most fervent Fergie supporters rates Fletcher and we cant wait to see the back of him but who would want to buy the shower of shite? He would struggle in a league 1 team, in Scotland that is, and is an embarrasment to United.
Arsenal fans seem to have got a little carried away here. This is a news article more than one making an indepth point.
United have lots of English players, so the England came manager to watch us play. He wouldn’t go to Arsenal because they don’t have any in their first XI.
How is it racist to point out such a thing? How is it racist for English people to want to see English people representing them in their local side? That doesn’t read ‘white people’ but people from this country. That doesn’t mean ‘ENGLISH ONLY’ either.
I asked the question over how United fans would feel if we had only a few English players in their squad like Arsenal. That is a reasonable question. Throughout our glory years we’ve had a strong core of English talent so the thought of playing with a team of foreigners would strike me as odd. That’s not being racist. Either way, it’s not really an issue for Arsenal fans. Would United fans be happy to see so few English players in their team? Sorry gooners, but that is not a question you can answer.
However, with all the anti-semitic chants that go on amongst Arsenal fans, you will be far better qualified in understanding racism than I am.
Well Said Scott The Red
“However, with all the anti-semitic chants that go on amongst Arsenal fans, you will be far better qualified in understanding racism than I am”
Now now….Play nice.
“with all the anti-semitic chants that go on amongst Arsenal fans, you will be far better qualified in understanding racism than I am”
That is such a silly thing to say Red, honestly. The term “Yids” is a term for Spurs fans, in no way is it anti-Semitic or racist…But I know you know this. Thats why it was a silly thing to say. Besides, half the Arsenal board are Jewish. Most Arsenal fans are aware of this. Thus, be silly, to chant anti-Semitic epithets. But more a tongue in cheek Bronx cheer to Spurs fans. And the only reason you know about this was because a Christian, a Jew and a Muslim complained…A christian, a Jew and a Muslim…Sounds like an opening for a joke…lol
“The term “Yids” is a term for Spurs fans, in no way is it anti-Semitic or racist”
Arsenal.. I you’re halfway there mate. True, it is a term you use for Spurs fans.. but WHY do you? To quote the Urban Dictionary:
“Yids – Term, originally used by the rival fans of Tottenham Hotspur to mock their Jewish origin.”
Not halfway, all the way. See and I quote “a tongue in cheek Bronx cheer to Spurs fans.”
“tongue in cheek”
Besides, they call themselves Yids.
Some black people call themselves niggers. Does that mean white people can go singing derogatory songs at black people using the word ‘nigger’? What? It’s tongue in cheek!
Anyway, besides the point. There’s no need to turning this in to a race row. I just don’t think Arsenal fans have any place to call others racist, just because they would not want their team to not contain any English people. That is not racist.
Once again somewhat typically Manchester United fans miss the point and actually end up reinforcing mine (Jimmy Bob)into the bargain ie Tony Adam’s loyalty was actually tested by Manchester United who offered him a contract to virtually double his wages (and pay Arsenal a huge transfer fee)whilst he was still playing under the maximum Arsenal wage structure happily enforced by Mr George Graham.Tony chose to stay loyal to hius Arsenal roots,but to my knowledge Gigsy Wigsy’s loyalty has never been tested in such a way.He was winning trophies,playing in front of the biggest crowds in The Premiership and being paid a fortune….why would he want to leave?…..Jimmy Bob.Whereas TA was being paid far less than some of his counterparts and often formed part of a team that clearly was viewed as boring and not capable of winning the League but chose to stay on less dough than another club was prepared to pay him…..that’s loyalty.
Eddy – Giggs took a cut in salary so that he could get a two year deal, instead of the usual one year deal we offer to players over 30, a couple of seasons ago.
Inter Milan have tried to sign him several times during his career, undoubtedly offering him larger wages than we would pay. He turned them down every time.
So when you say Giggs’ loyalty hasn’t been tested, what exactly are you talking about?? And stop it with the Giggsy wigsy, makes me feel uncomfortable.
Well, one of Manchester Uniteds true legends who has remmained loyal to United since the day he arrived was once offered a huge payrise and transfer fee by Tottenham Hotspur. A Team with far less financial backing, a player who spent most of his match days starting on the bench. He has now retired due to injury and will remain at United for a while yet, because he loves the club, yes he is foreign, yes he is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. LEGEND.
The way Patrice Evra has talked about feeling ‘Mancunian’ and as though he wants to soak up the Manchester United history, reading about the past and ingraining it into him just shows that it isn’t always about money.
We are a big club with great financial resources that a lot of clubs could only dream of, but our money has been earnt over the years.
It is a fact that Arsenal are full of foreign players and Manchester United have a great core of British players, Arsenal fans get very defensive over the sentence which is just stating fact. Nobody has said Arsenal are shit for it. Also, There is no excuse for England and their under performing, it isn’t because Arsenal have team full of foreigners, it’s because Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool as well as the other teams contributing players to the England squad cannot play as a team, we have such a great team on paper but there is no motivation.
Good point about the “yid” chants Scott, it is always okay when they’re giving but as soon as it is aimed at them everybody is a racist.
By the way, Giggsy Wigsy has played at the highest level for years, he will become that most played star in MUFC history and to say he has never had his loyalty tested is quite amusing. He has kept the ability to perform week in, week out by giving up the booze and chicks high rolling lifestyle and now look at him. He has outclassed every player to ever play in the Premier League, that’s my opinion but his professionalism has paid him well, that is loyalty.
The truth is the truth but the way this fact is repeatedly being mentioned everytime the England (Not UK) team is considered, you would think;
1) England is failing because Arsenal has got less English players than other teams,
2) Arsenal is turning away English players and embracing foreign players
Guys beware what you wish for, it might happen. Wenger is doing a great job for Arsenal FC. Everytime this so-called foreign team is playing at the Emirates the stadium is full. In September 2007 AFC was stated as the 2nd club with the largest revenue turnover, at +200m pounds. Obviously the club is still paying off the debt of building the new stadium but ones that is achieved, the possibilities for the club will be limitless.
Now if i may ask, where is Leeds United? Isn’t it possible that what happened to Leeds can happen to Man-U? If Alex was faced with the same situation wouldn’t you appreciate if he could sell all the highest paid players and bring in quality lower paid players?
Before you answer, don’t forget that QUALITY ENGLISH PLAYERS ARE EXPENSIVE , just look at how much we paid for potential, 12m pounds at 16years old!!!!!!!!!!!!
Strange how Arsenal fans have all morphed into commited internationalists keen to disavow any notions of thickheaded nationalism. I remember Mary Ridell of the Observer writing that arsenal were the epitome of what modern Brtain should aspire to be: tolerant, progressive, sophisticated. I always remember that when arsenal fans hiss at spurs supporters. As will be the practice tonight. In many ways arsenal do epitomize modern britain. Specifically in an economic sense: refusal to trade in, or utilize, domestic products or services. A refusal to acknowledge the effect this has on the wider community; and a tendency to buy cheap foreign imports to achieve short-term results rather than invest time and money in nuturing domestic talent. The irony being that arsenal spin this policy as a noble cause: using intelligence and thrift to overcome teams who ,far exceed in them in resources. In reality Wegner buys young players from smaller clubs who, to utilize a clumsy phrase, have “done all the hard work” and then, this next point not being in doubt, turns them into in many cases world class players. The smaller clubs who having enstilled the habits and techniques which stay with a player the rest of their playing life, receive little to no compensation via a transfer fee. It is for this reason that a footballing icon called Platini chose to go on record and slate arsenal transfer philosophy and practices. Top level football is an uncomfortable dirty dirty game. And arsenal hands are dirtier than most. And it must be weird having no english players in your team. As much as match-going reds like to challenge the concept there is a sense of englishness that, regardless of race or creed, bounds the majority of people in this country together. Shared communalities and experience which are specific to english citizens alone. These factors are now more diverse than the warm beer, gin in tea cups, cricket on the village green cliches which a tedious succession of cockney bands celebrated, and encompass a wide variey of cultures . But running through them is a core of englishness, that english citizens, whether indigenously born or emigrated here, can emphasize with. That’s why you took that garden wall bothering Adams and Ian Wright to your heart. By the way i work with the homeless and do you know were currently running a poster campaign to actively warn them of the dangers of Alan Davies.
Gigsy Wigsy took a pay cut at the age of 33….wow,no doubt there are huge list of clubs waiting top pay a 33 year old £50 k a week!
According to the last deluded writer Salford Red seems to believe “that you are nurturing English talent”….once again at the risk of sounding boring which players are Manchester United nurturing that didn’t cost them an absolute fortune ie
Rooney £28 million(once a Blue always a Blue)
Ferdinand £28 million
Hargreaves £20 million
Carrick £20 million
that my deluded is not nurturing …..it’s overpaying.
Eddy – you conveniently ignored the fact that he’s snubbed Inter Milan to earn larger sums of money on several occasions. Is that how you debate football? Take on the points you feel you can answer, then ignore the ones that fault your argument?
Eddy Weddy, I argued a point. You believe he stayed at United for the money? Not because he has always been passionate to play for Manchester United? Not because he is now imbedded in their history? Not because he has worked under the one of the all time greats? Nuturing young talent is what Manchester United are known for over the years, ever since the Busby days. it’d be too easy to Pick out the likes of Neville, Scholes, Beckham, Butt etc. With the youth systems in this country in such a state it’s still quite refreshing to see young players like Gibson, Evans, Simpson, Cathcart, Lee, Campbell coming through our very own ranks and doing well. Manchester United do bring a lot of good players through, admittidly Manchester United is a club challenging on the world stage, so some of these great talents may not always see out many years at Old Trafford, but we are doing it, that’s no fault of our youth system just the fact that we are a massive club. You do have to over-pay for English players, but to be fair Theo Walcott was a bargain!
As for:
Rooney £28 million(once a Blue always a Blue)
Ferdinand £28 million
Hargreaves £20 million
Well, those prices may look high but the three players right there are the three BEST English players in their respective positions, their talent and input on the field will pay off their transfer fees no problem at all.
So stop getting Arsey Warsey.
Dear Eddy,
As you know in the near distant past United nutured a collection of great English players. An example of which will probably never be seen again. But recently we have relied on buying English talent at exorbitant prices. There is no denying this, but this wasn’t my point. Fergie has, rightly or wrongly, gone on record stating that we plan to buy domestic players. This is exactly what we’ve done and the clubs concerned have been greatly renumerated. The underlying philosophy is still the big fish eating the little one’s (witness the current Anelka and Berbatov situation) and it must p**s off the match going fans of such clubs greatly, but at least these clubs have a hefty transfer fee to plough in their relative acadamies, transfer budgets ground improvements etc… This is what i meant by nuturing the domestic game. Unlike Arsenal who sweep the globe looking for talent at smaller clubs in less-developed countires, turn the head of the player, and pay the selling club little or no transfer fee. Come on Ed i thought you Islington intellectuals would be well versed in fair-trade arguments. To answer your return point before you make it -coz you gooners are so predictable- Yes United have done this in the past. But we have not done this in the near recent future, and according to Fergie do not plan to.
Yes, fergy is a good manager, but i’ve always thought he’s not too canny in the transfer market. He pays huge amounts for great players, unlike wenger who plays virtually nothing for players that he then makes great.
I’m a villa fan myself, so don’t blast me for my opinions on that. Villa ar a team nurturing talent, doesn’t seem like manchester united are really. I also like how you completely breezed over the fact that Capello would have been there as much to see Barry, Young and Gabby as he was to see wayne.
You think Capello was there “just as much” to see Gareth Barry as he was Wayne Rooney? Honestly?