“There was a lot of pressure on Wayne to score all the goals last season and he took that burden on,” said Fletcher. “But sometimes that does not happen. All strikers go through phases when they do not score goals and that is when it is important that everyone else steps up and does their bit. As a team we have to improve every season. I think we saw that Nani and Valencia improved last year, and they are young, so they will continue to get better. But even Scholes and Giggs are trying to improve, and so am I, and so are the rest of the team. We are hungry and we all want to improve.”
Rooney missed 6 league games last season, against the likes of Spurs, Bolton and Blackburn, and we scored a total of 11 goals, an average of almost 2 goals per game.
If we compare the season just gone with the last season we won the league, we are given another insight to where our goal reliance lies.
Top scorer 08/09: 18
Top scorer 09/10: 26
2nd 08/09: 12
2nd: 09/10: 12
3rd: 08/09: 9
3rd: 09/10: 5
4th 08/09: 5
4th 09/10: 5
5th 08/09: 4
5th 09/10: 4
In 2008/2009, the highest four scorers other than top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo scored 30 goals between them. In 2009/2010, the highest four scorers other than top scorer Wayne Rooney scored 26 goals between them.
However, in 2008/2009 we scored a total of 68 goals and won the league. In 2009/2010 we scored a total of 86 goals. If we pretend Rooney scored just 18 goals last season, matching Ronaldo of the season before, United players still scored another 10 goals between them.
Man Utd News 24/7
i think Rooney will take his world cup experience(?) and that will push him on from were he left off wearing the red of united last season. and if anyone want to up the game in the goal scoring department then more power to them
Scott our third scorer this season got 9 goals. OG remember?
I love these comments from Fletch. During the World Cup, what you got from the England camp was “Rooney is a great player, he will come good”. It wasn’t about what everyone else could do for Wayne. It was about expecting Wayne to take them by the hand and lead them to greatness. In my opinion that’s why Rooney has looked better in a United jersey.
true dat costas, true dat
Guys !!
I heard that Chicharito is going on loan to valencia is that true !!
Morning Ladies and Gentlemen
Fletcherinho speaks wisely yet again
: )
i totally agree with youu Costas, but i cant help but feel sorry for the lad. this was his moment to shine, to put his name out globally, and to be honest, he kinda fucked up. the worst thing was though that it wasnt really even his fault. if england could string more than 5 passes together against the likes of Algeria . . .
a bit off the topic but rumour that is going around suddenly is that we have made a bid for sneijder!!!!i think this could turn out to be the best signing..he’s exactly the kinda player we need!!!i hope this is not some false rumour and we do get this man.what does everyone else think?is the rumour true??
Swapnil that was bouncing around yesterday there president even said it’s true
I might take a walk to the bookes during lunch and see what price i will get on Fletcher Managing United!
I thin it would be worth a 10 pound punt!
This lad is a smart cookie and very articulate in any interviews i have seen him in. As a player and as a person is extremly driven and not shy at stating his mind or admiting mistakes or shortfalls! Everything that you need in a manager!
Do see simularities to Roy keane although Fletch is keane like without the red mist of madness!
Would love to see keane at old trafford as he my overall legend although i dont think his personality is suited to management. He lacks man management! Cant treat all players with kicks up the arse!
@RedAllTheWay
Yes agreed. Rooney also didn’t raise his game as much as he could have. However at least most United fans have the common sense to realise why Rooney might not be playing well. His form and fitness have taken a hit since he was a goal machine in March. Plus, he was played out of position for most of the tournament. Case in point. Rooney at Everton this season was poor. No excuses. Rooney at the end of the season for us was a player underperforming because he was still dealing with his injury problems. And as you said, he depends a lot on what happens around him. Against Bayern at OT, Rooney on one leg was inspirational. But that also has to do with those around you and how they feed off you.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s son is called Cristiano
Now why didn’t I think of that : )
I wonder where he got that name from…
: )
Hopefully we’ll see the likes of Fletch and Carrick chip in with more goals, as well as Nani and Valencia. The only thing that worries me atm, is the quality of our freekicks, and the lack of goals scored from them. Nani I assume hasn’t practiced on them this season as he has been injured, which is a shame because he needs to work on them, Giggs won’t be playing every game next season so he won’t take many, and there is still a question mark over Hargo’s fitness. We need to do something about it.
@ MG, Cristiano Ronaldo jnr will turn out to be exactly like his dad then, he’ll join Utd, he’ll wink in the WC quarterfinal against England in 2034 and get Kai Rooney sent off, and then come back transformedm win trophird and win the WPOTY award a few years later. After that, only God knows what happens.
@Fze123
Ha ha ha buddy spot on
: )
So is this what Fletcher said when he returned to training and saw Berbatov’s still in the team???
The important point is not the amount of goals the other team scores but in which games they come in. Its all well and good contributing goals 3, 4 and 5 in a 5 goal thrashing of Hull but when the chips a re down and you need that extra goal i.e Blackburn away last year or even the dippers at Anfield. Thats when the goals need to come, they have dried up somewhat.
breaking news- sneijder wants to stay at milan
Rachelreddevil…he was never going to come, i dont know why many a fan got so optimistic over it. Last year was the chance, this year he’s going to be offered a very very lucrative contract, he’s with the reigning european champions and he’s got a new manager called the FSW. Who wouldnt sell him to us, even if his life depended on it.
Red Herring.
As for the world cup final…best 2 teams never to win a world cup in the final. First time a european team will win NOT on european soil.
Spain..great ticka tacka football……technically the most gifted, but hate em cos they have 2 scouse rats in their team
Dutch…very turgid and boring and cheating and play acting gits…. not a patch on the great dutch sides and flair they used to have..cryuff, neiskens, jonny rep, arie hann, gullit, van basten, bergkamp etc etc etc etc. But in the final nonetheless. Hate em too, cos they have 2 scouse rats in their team also.
2 scousers who havent done fuck all, all tournament, infact havent done fuck all, all season, will come back as world cup winners……MAKES ME SICK.
bonjour
By the way…wish SAF wouldnt use the no market value phrase.
Market value is what it is…players are being bought for more than they’re worth, inflated yes. Buts thats the way it is….other teams are getting on with it, we have to also. Remember we had a part to play in it, by creating the waves and selling ronny for such a huge amount. Hence everybody will go on that as a barometer for what players are supposedly worth these days.
Thats the time, thats the age….it wont change. You have to move with the times in life, cos that is life, it keeps changing and keeps moving.
Blimey i’d like to buy a bottle of milk for 8p like i used to do in the early 80′s. But in 2010 its 10 x that. Like i said…you have to move and adjust with the times.
Costas – its easy to say we need to share the goals load but have some of the players in our squad have the ability to get past 10 goals by october? the answer is no, clearly summer 2008 and summer 2009 fergie has made some bad judgements in the transfer market, like signing berbatov when clearly the guy does not fit into our system and the best we could have hoped for was keeping tevez. second three players fergie could have snapped up in summer 2009, robben scneider and adam johnsen, you are paying overall 41 million is it me or isnt that value for money, that means united have a far greater share of goals.
The frustrating part with fergie is he is not alert enough when players are available for much cheaper prices, do not forget hargreaves came at a free transfer in 05/06 when his contract was coming to an end.
rntk – Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Robben is a fucking cunt. Despise the bastard. Adam Johnson isn’t even that good.
King Eric – well you got to be alert and it annoys me we are after schneider now when he was on the cheap last year for 13 million, like I said there is no point saying we need to share the goals around when that has not been the case since 2007. johnsen would have been a better option than obertan, if we ever going to be a success in the nect 3 to 4 years fergie has to be a little more smarter or we may end up looking to be shafted for 36 million fora 27 year old
in the game today allot of the top players are pricks, lets not forget we had mr dick who loves the mirror has world player of the year. Now if he is not running hell I wonder who is
King Eric – I think we will win the league has we have strengthened better, but we are close to strengthen to a point where we will cake walk the league because chelsea and co are a declining force and they were lucky to win the league
Last season was lost at the back. I don’t really think we had many problems going on the attack.
Honestly I think it is quite harsh to look at the squad as is as requiring much strengthening. We’ve got some amazing youngsters, we’ve got great players in their prime, elder statesmen steadying the ship and if we can avoid the injury decimation of last season and the early inconstancy we’re significantly better set up than any other premier league teams. Sure we need to brace up in a few areas and this is something that has happened, new defenders a new striker and so forth, but on the whole we’re looking seriously formidable.
Also the shark in the swimming pool is Hargreaves, if he comes back and hits his old form he’s going be huge. People have forgotten him too quickly, he’s an outstanding player.
sneijder is alright. but he wont be cheap after the world cup. lets look for younger versions of playmaker/creative midfielder available. Those who can spend more years linking with wazza. any names?
@Rooney the new king – as King Eric said, hindsight is great – but you can’t always get the players before everyone realises how good they are. Fergie’s done a pretty good job over the years at it though so you might want to lay off him a bit – Evra, Vidic, Ronaldo, Solskjaer, Hernandez(?), Da Silvas all spring to mind
@RTNK
Very few players go beyond 10 goals by the time October rolls. United usually have played 12-15 games by then. It’s not about who can score as many or half the goals that Rooney scored last season. What Fletcher probably meant is that if this year Valencia and Nani reach double figures and he and the other CMs score 6-7, the weight will be lifted of Rooney’s shoulders. The bigger issue though is having matchwinners.
bigphil2003 – yea I do but realise that. but with the parasites incharge there is no room for error in the transfer market. But still 13 million for schneider united should be grabbing that chance with both hands
Costas – ok harsh there lets say december how many will get past 10 goals in december, and what united also missed last year was a plan B, and the 451 system is a bad system for 2 reasons in its played all the time
- when you play 451 and the system is built around 1 striker then the back up striker is not used to that system then it becomes liek russian roulette
- if that striker is off form the whole system falls flat on its face, and if the wingers are not scoring double figuires and like we found out, to our cost if the striker is out injured the team lacks any idea’s, that is why barcelona in 2009 when played 433 was a one off because the front 3 all were scoring goals
@RTNK
In all likelyhood, only Rooney will have reached double figures by December. But, you could have 7 or 8 1-0s in the league with a different scorer in most of them. Look at the year Cantona won the title with kids. Not saying that we are definitely ok. Just saying that numbers don’t always tell the whole truth.
I agree about the backup plan, but what can we really do at this stage? 4-5-1 was what turned the season around for us last year. Until Rooney got injured of course. And the reason it started clicking again was because Nani started making an impact similar to that of Ronaldo’s. Not saying he fully replaced Ronaldo mind you. Looking at the WC teams, the ones that got the furthest played 4-5-1, 4-3-3,, 4-2-3-1 or what have you. I don’t think that 4-4-2 is dead as some say, but you need very good CMs to play it.
The problem will probably be the same as last season. What happens if Wayne is injured. Switch to 4-4-2? What if Owen is injured too? I said it last week, but the squad is built on some question marks. Lets hope that the likes of Hernandes and Kiko can make an impact.
Off topic, I am sorry that we won’t have a chance to get Sneidjer this summer, but credit to him for not getting carried away with all the transfer speculation.
The sad thing or him is that in terms of who will manage him next season, he has gone from Jenna Jameson to Jabba the Hutt.
@rtnk
I agree with you on Sir alex not being alert, because when sneijder was with the virus he was rarely used, but the few times he was thrown in, he did well. He was also consistent with the national team. Its not like he was crap at real, they just didnt see his worth because he wasnt a galactico. That was a really big miss from us.
@ King Eric
Your argument always seems to be that as long as they dont play for united, they are either cunts or over rated. How old do you think adam johnson is? That kid’s got loads of talent, Sir Alex would have turned him into a world beater.
@Costas
From JJ to Jabba the Hut
Costas you are a star I am in a fit of laughter
It’s a Facht too : )
Costas – mr dick had a phew good seasons and he gets carried away. 4231 is my fav formation because its a great shapeshifting formation it goes from 442 451 533, the one player everyone hates I found he stopped the midfield getting overun was tevez, his energy getting into the midfield winning the ball I thought gave united the options to play a flued 442 or 4231 or even 433, 442 united have tinkered with it by making it more solid, its never been a total 442 since 2001 and maybe 2006/07.
hernandes I feel is well ahead of macheda, who still for me, macheda needs to stop relying on a reputation when he scored those goals against villa and sunderland because still he is well short of being ready and if he was english I feel united would have shipped him out last year, him being italian has bought him more time.
nani had a good phew months but he still needs to do it over a whole season before he has fully arrived, because many forget he did cost united the league by getting sent off against villa away, of we had 11 men united would have won that and should have 3 or 4 – 1.
Rollins – scnheider was no diamond in the rough, many clubs have taken full advantage of the virus retarded ways how they ship players out the door, eto’o makelele schneider robben the list is endless.
I said this too many united fans I know, you want to be the best or be a top player sometimes you have to be a dick to be the best, or be one of the outstanding players, if everytime united did not want to sign a player because he was a dick we would never win anything, you need that arrogance that personality to get that extra phew points weather we like them or not, cantona is a perfect example, how many clubs would take a chance on such a unpridictable personality, but winners have big personalitys thats how you win the big prizes, they do not hide and at this club. If you dont have the mentality you wont last long at united, you can see it in a players eyes and body language if they have what it takes to handle this place.
@RTNK
There was a brief 4-4-2 spell at the end of 05-06 with O’Shea and Giggs in CM. It was a good little run, but nothing to build on unfortunately. No arguing about Tevez, but for me he was similar to Rooney. Last season the both flourished, but I don’t think that they could score as many goals while they were both at United. One of them would have to sacrifice some parts of his game.
What Nani did at Villa was daft, but in 11 games of dropped point you have 11 (or maybe more) culprits. I always prefer to blame the medical team for our problems. Anyway, Nani will have an interesting season. I hope he carries the form he showed last season. I wanted us to get some indication about his improvement in the WC, but…
suhayl- wat in my comment said it was a setback. ive sed in other posts that he wouldnt be be a bad buy but thats coz he was in the news. personalyl i dont think we need anyone in the midfield hargo is as good as anyone in the prem. And ando showed in big games that he can hack it fab and erm gerrard in his pocket. bring on the new season cant wait to see little pea and wazza together
Goals from whom next year?
nani: 5
Valencia: 5
Rooney: 20
chicharito: 5
owen: 10
park: 5
macheda: 5
berbatov: 0
fletch: 5
Intelligent comments from whom next year:
King Eric: 300
GHTT: 300
MG: 300
RTNK: 300
Manchuchu: 0
@MG
Lol, thanks. If the gap between the two is this big, I wonder how big it is between Sir Alex and the waiter.
Costas – cheers for putting me on there. I will always be frustrated this year because we should have won the league, now many know I am not berbatovs biggest fan he has too many faults than qualitys but he wont have the scoring record of anderson. now goals I want from the players this season
ferdinand 3
vidic if stays 2
evans 3
evra 2
o shea 2
fletcher 6
carrick 4
scholes 3
anderson 5
valencia 9
nani 14
giggs 4
obertan 4
rooney 26
berbatov 16
owen 10
hernandes 11
macheda 8
maybe I am expecting too much from allot of these players, but if we are going to ease the pressure off rooney these are numbers I expect the players to get, and last note fuck the champions league premiership 9 times out of 10
well numbers close too or some I expect to match or better these numbers not all I expect to reach these targets, and 5 for anderson is asking like could I climb mount evarest well how the fuck that is spelt
@RTNK
You are welcome. Wasn’t playing favorites there. You will all score at least 300 comments. Expect from one that is. He will probably go below zero at this rate.
Interesting goal tallies. I counted them down and they are 132. It will be a very productive season! It is probably asking a lot from most of them. I will tell you this though. If Nani and Valencia get anywhere near those numbers, it will be a real boost. Don’t know about Berba though. It will depend on how much he plays. Don’t see him starting a lot of games next season. As for Rooney, I would like him to top the 34 he got last season, but if his injury problems persist, there’s a good chance he will fall below 30.
But football is a funny game you know? I was watching the goals we scored in 00-01 earlier today. Who could have predicted the amount of goals Teddy Sheringham got? He looked brilliant that year.
@costas – berba getting a giant orthodox cross tattooed on his arm!
http://thebusbyway.com/2010/07/08/picture-berbatov-turns-to-divine-inspiration/?
@united.george
Ha, saw that a bit earlier. Now he is ready to take the Premiership by storm.
Costas – yea haha I went a bit mad on the goals tally almost football manager style, but all compititons I think cut atleast 20 to 25 goals I think the standard thats where we are at.
well berbatov all he has to do is? beat 13 and he is 3 up. I upgraded his goals tally because you expect a bit more, but his fitness levels are a big question mark why he seems so out of sorts and never in the game, like? make more impact in games, test the keeper make defences life hell, stretch and move defences about like the top strikers do, so it gives space for scholes valencia nani and rooney to find more space to score more goals, maybe the premiership has gone to quick for him has he gets older and he needs a slower league. I said this before him quitting bulgeria should really concern united fans, unlike scholes where they just played him out of position, berbatov the team is built around him why quit.
valencia scored 8 so 1 up for valencia I expect.
nani is the more talented and you do expect now for him to grab the game by the balls.
hernandes is the joker in the pack, the ace in the hole for the boss, and his ability to run the lines the prem will be a cake walk for him
scholes carrick fletcher giggs you expect goals tally to be your 4′s or 5′s, its been that way for a long time
owen anderson obertan I wil cut their goals tally by half they will get I say between the 3 about lets say? 8 goals most of them from owen.
macheda if he is too make it, this season he has too make the impact now or never
England is in the world cup final!!!!
Howard Webb that is:)
Anyway, about Sniejder, he wont come to united after the world cup, but give him one year under FSW and he will be begging to get out by January…..
Hargo is still out
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={F9E570E6-407E-44BC-800F-4A3110258114}&newsid=6650599
Just seen SAF talking about Hargo on the summer supplement on mutv, the news wasn’t good about him, he’s apparently suffered another set back.
He’s had it our Hargreaves, we need to get a replacement but I believe our spending is done. We will struggle in certain games because our lack of cover in that position.
willierednut – I hope now PPL will no longer say if hargreaves returns because he cannot be relied on, and united should be investing in a ball winning midfielder because our midfield is now a year older
@ NotoriousRedDevil
If anything, it opens the door to a potential transfer, no matter which way you look at it, who is to say further setbacks might not occur between now and the start of the season
RTNK – That should be the priority now, Hargo can’t be counted on no more. Add to that, Ando won’t be back untill the end of September, that leaves us thread bare in CM.
Rollins – Not at all pal. I like Sneijder, I quite like Van Der Vaart. I do not rate Adam fucking Johnsen. He is a one trick pony. He ain’t some 18 year old kid he is 24 I believe.
willierednut – exactly, lets look at our CM options
carrick – another season like last year and we are on thin ice
scholes – can the old master really put in another season like last
fletcher – I felt he played way too much and his agressive levels nit what they were in 08/09 season
gibson – I am still not sold on gibson, bar some shots on goal, he does not bring allot to the party
anderson and hargreaves have got some horrible injurys, and we add cleverly who has had a bad injury, we need a ball winning midfielder badly and L Diarra would be the perfect stop gap to replace hargreaves.
@ Slim. I hope so, I have been saying on this site for quite some time that a player in his position is top priority. This setback should reaffirm this, Sneijder isn’t like for like but would be good excpet he seems to want to stay at Inter. We need to get someone who can play there because Fletcher can’t do it all on his own all season, especially if Rio will never be 100% again. Horrible news but I think we all knew this was going to happen.
Here here Darren said like a true Scot, straight to the heart of the matter, no fucking around.
As an example to support the case if (and I know its hypothetical) Chelsea did not have Lampard last season we would have won the championship trophy because of his goal threat from midfield.
Good luck Darren braw loon for next term.
It’s lucky you don’t have gay marriage in
bulgayria or you could just marry berbashit. Cockstas
@Manchucunt
1) I am not from Bulgaria.
2) How do you know if Bulgaria allows gay marriages or not? You’ve done your research I see.
3) Thanks for changing my name. I changed yours too. Now our new names represent what each of us has between his legs.
Cheers Scott the Red , sorry no offence ever meant, just banter for me and laughs.
Christ all mighty I have been called an Imbicle a nutter a drunken Scots twat , etc etc etc on this blog and also for gasp of life its just a United blog……. it means together we fight adversity.
Bless you although , thats enough. lmao
Flect! I know you can score some goals.. but I want real striker, like doing nothing but scoring goals..
Don’t want to praying on that touchy flashy tipsy striker.. I’m sorry to say that.. coz only I love ya!