Following a few seasons plagued by injury and losing out on his place in the England squad, people wondered whether Rio Ferdinand’s career was coming to an end.
Rio has gone from strength to strength this season, having already played in more games than he has in the past two seasons, and Nemanja Vidic has claimed his top performances shouldn’t have come as a surprise.
“At the beginning of the season there were a lot of people questioning Rio, asking whether he could do what he did in the past, can he play, is he finished?” Vidic said. “This was nonsense. Rio has hunger and now he has proved people they are wrong. He is a very important player, not just this year but over the past years and he has done very well over the last few months.”
Man Utd News 24/7
Indeed! He’s been a welcomed surprise, for that matter! As has benn Evans… & Carrick. Needs a couple of big performances in the remaining few weeks…
Then, I can see him for a further year as well, until Smalling takes over.
Absolutely. An outside bet for Rio to get the United POTY award.
True. Especially willie. He’s been doubting Rio for years.
LMAO!
Manchester City player Sam Jones apologises for celebrating United win on Twitter.
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1490535_manchester-city-player-sam-jones-apologises-for-celebrating-united-win-on-twitter
Totally agreed, for the past few weeks Rio has been magnificent, his tackle on Yakubu on Monday was total class…. Just like the Rio of old.. Fingers crossed he can stay fit till the end of the season
Costas
I never really understood the vendetta Willie has always had on Rio
@Cedars
Hi mate. Me neither! It surpasses some of the bile that’s written against Berbatov in here.
I think much of his current form is because of staying fit. Last couple of seasons he’s had too many injuries. On current form, i think he will be playing the euros. Hopefully he retires from the england side after the euros.
Afternoon everyone To me Rio is a Rolls Royce , he is for me on par with Bobby Moore . I know he is getting on a bit just class on the ball and reading the game. Looking forward to the game on Sunday i hope we hammer QPR . I could not believe Hughes when he went to City , project this project that fuck me . Come on you Reds
Rio is a contender for Player of the season, he has been consistent and we would be trouble without his leadership at the back.
Apart from the City and Bilbao game, he;s been perfect but everyone makes mistakes during heavy defeats so its understandable.
Rio has 2 season left in him and he should spend those at United because he’ll be given a great testimonial when he does call it a day. All he can do when Vidic comes back is to keep fit and sharp + be available when needed. He’ll be a squad player just like Scholes and Giggs who are hardly bench warmers when they start 1 in 2 games each.
I hope Rio does not make the Euros, get a good summer break and reunited with Vidic next season and with back up in the shape of Smalling and Evans we should be all set in defense.
Cedars & Costas
Bugger off yous two!
yep – Rio still got it!!
Rio and Evans have been amazing together
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Arjunited says:
LMAO!
Manchester City player Sam Jones apologises for celebrating United win on Twitter.
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1490535_manchester-city-player-sam-jones-apologises-for-celebrating-united-win-on-twitter
=
SERIOUSLY LMFAO!!!
His name is Rio and we’re dancing in the stands, he left the Leeds scum to come to the promised land.
As great as Evans has been this season, Rio is the glue that keeps the defence together. It’s not always evident how important his role is. That being said, I reiterate what I said a few days ago. We have to start looking to tomorrow and build a new partnership.
Costas
Tomorrow, we play Sunday….
@Mikekelly
The day after tomorrow then.
Cedars –
Rio is crap mate, doesn’t deserve to wear the Ingurland White. Just about good enough for this poor team but for England he’s just a 3rd rate defender.
England should take; Cole,Terry,Lescott,Jagielka,Cahill,Dawson,Richards,Walker,Baines,Caulker to the Euro’s.
Leave rubbish like Smalling,Jones & Rio to play with the amateurs.
Same with Clevs – he’s rubbish, barely played 10 games and isn’t 6ft tall so leave him behind.
Carrick- has had a bad year leave him behind too, Barry and Scotty are Soldiers take them !
Young – isn’t good enough for us let alone Ingurland, so thats a No Way Jose !
Scholes is old, Stevie G is better and so is Lumpard !
Welbeck- is too young and inexperienced, the likes of Carroll, Zamora,Owen and Heskey are the way forward.
Rooney – is suspended for two games, no point taking him for 1/2 matches especially when England will be eliminated in the group stages or KO rounds.
England are better off without the United boys who are below standard, had a bad year, trophy less so far, part of the worst team in the top 6 and part of infamous team that won the 19th.
It would be in England’s best interests to take some of the City lads, their born Winners !
Rio is unreal, you only have to hear how SAF confides in him probably more than Giggsy and Scholesy. He is a class act and yuo forget its been ten years at the club.
Papii
You mad nutter, that was hilarious…. Lumpard? Loved it
I am throwing this out there as well that Rio and Vidic are the best pairing that the game has ever seen.
Costas
Haha! Rio the Rolls… He has the sort of influence that you expect United could use once his playing days are over, however, with all his othe ventures I don’t think we’ll see that happening. More likely see him in a Guy Ritchie movie!!
Gigga12
At United only or anywhere?
@Mikekelly12: What character would Rio be in “Snatch” ?
Cedars
Anywhere mate it has everything, 2008 was ridiculous….pace, strength, arial prowess, positioning, leadership, and most of all a great ability to read each other.
Rio would be to cool for snatch i could imagine chavs like Terry and co though
Fucking love Rio – I know he’s had his critics in the past including United fans but for me he has always been brilliant and when fit is still a dead cert to start for us alongside Vidic. We all cringe at his Drake shit on Twitter etc but I still think he’s a massive (positive) influence on the team and a natural leader.
I am so pleased to see he’s playing really well and getting the recognition he deserves. Longer he stays with us the better in my opinion.
Gigga12
Mate, no doubt that over the past 5 or 6 years they have been the best in the world by a country mile. But the best the game has ever seen? Big big statement
@Giggs12Gerrard0: Come to think of it a certain British Bulldog plays a very significant role in the movie
KinkyKenny as Bricktop?
Cedars
Open to debate, it is a massive statement i know but the only pair i can think that come close was Maldini and Baresi
Can’t think beyond Maldini-Nesta TBH
Giggs12
Beat me to it mate, was going to say Al Costacurta & Baresi for me Having said that I take it you rate Rio and Vida higher then Palli & Brucey?
Jeet
Great pairing mate but Maldini often got squeezed out on the left and played full back. Plus Rio and Vidic did it when the premier league was head and shoulders the best league in the world.
Costas
Any Chance you can throw some stats to this debate?
Cedars
I do mate Pallister and Bruce were fantastic but i think as all round footballers you woyuld have to say Rio is a better footballer than Brucey was and Rio is a better ball winner than Palli.
PS RoM is back this is fucking class I love it.
Giggs12
Brucey was very comfortable on the ball mate and scored bags of goals, was also our penalty taker…
PS. Agreed
Cedars
Brucey was unreal mate i meant no discredit I just feel Rio offers a little more.
@Giggs12Gerrard0: My fucked memory again – I was about to say Baresi (by far the greatest piece of defending I have seen, in that WC after he came back from injury against Brazil) and Maldini, but thought when he played with baresi he got pushed out to fullback? It’s a tough, tough one…I’ve never watched much Serie A, but based on what I’ve seen in WC and Euros, I would have to say the Italians edge it. No shame in that whatsoever – to be able to run those legends close to “The Greatest” title speaks volumes.
Speaking of WC, I remember Rio making a tackle in the WC he played in. Sorry but my memory for years, numbers, etc. is well and truly fucked. I think it was the last match England played in (was it the infamous Ronnie wink match?), England were effectively out and there was this winger who cut in from the right into the box. Rio swooped down down like a bird of prey and launched into a thunderous, perfectly timed tackle. Incredible – that tackle had everything – power, bravery, technique and timing. At that time, there was not even a question in my mind that Rio was one of top 3 in the world, if not #1.
Gigg12
Aren’t we blessed to have had them all eh? Remember this one…
Bruuuuuuuce unbelievable
Of course mate Sheff Wed
Jeet
Absolutely mate, the Italians are great at defending but do you remember teh defending against Barca in the semi 2008……..life changing
@Giggs12
That’s a tough one to calculate. One thing I was able to find out: Our defensive record in 07-08 (conced 0.58 goals per game) is the best in our history. And in that season Rio and Vida started 41 games together as a partnership.
I didn’t watch a lot of Pally and Bruce together, so I’d say Rio and Vida was the best partnership I saw at United. And the numbers are in their favor.
Just one note. Imo 07-08 was Ferdinand’s best season ever. Not Vida’s though. That one came next season.
Jeet
As I mentioned to Giggs12 I went for Costacurta & Baresi, they were the heart of that famous Milan team of the early 90′s (Which our friend Willie knows a thing or two about) Maldini often played at fullback when those 2 were in the center. Not a fan of Serie A either but you just had to watch that team, they would have murdered the media darlings of modern football
I’d have to surprisingly agree that Rio+Vida are the best duo the world has ever seen.
Under-rated too, no two players could be anymore different yet compliment each other play as much as they both. Their are partnerships of the past but in modern times they are the best, they’ve had to deal to with faster players, fitter players, stronger players, players that are technical geniuses. Now and yesterdays game is very different, I’d say the players of today are better than the simple skilled players of the past. Which is why I rate the Vida+Rio probably as the best in the world in a while.
Then again, I am wearing red-tinted glasses so I doubt many outside of the United fan base would agree.
@Giggs12Gerrard0: Nah mate, I had my eyes closed most of the time…more than my heart could take…that was some fucking performance – has to be at par with the Italians, that one, I’ll grant you that. Buggers were darting around all over the place like little rattlesnakes, and kept coming up against the Red Wall.
The Italians were brilliant defenders, especially in the 90s. Baresi and Maldini made a great partnership, but it’s always difficult to compare 2 different leagues and styles of football. So I don’t know if you can narrow it down to one partnership as the best in the world.
I’d have to surprisingly agree that Rio+Vida are the best duo the world has ever seen.
Under-rated too, no two players could be anymore different yet compliment each others play as much as they both do. There are partnerships of the past, but in modern times they are the best, they’ve had to deal to with faster players, fitter players, stronger players, players that are technical geniuses. Now and yesterdays game is very different, I’d say the players of today are better than the simple skilled players of the past, however there is an exception as there was many players ahead of their time too.
But because the game looks more tactical and even more difficult today I rate the Vida+Rio probably as the best in the world in a while. They are both fantastic readers of the game, Vidic is more prone to errors in positioning but his tackles and ability to keep a man out the game are inch perfect whereas Rio is the man, a rolls royce, perfect positioning,calm, A leader, simple and the most complete english defender since Bobby Moore.
Then again, I am wearing red-tinted glasses so I doubt many outside of the United fan base would agree that they are the best about.
Man City’s. Nedum Onuoha
*My last post made no sense to myself so I reposted it with some corrections made.
Costas
Agreed, however the debate kicked off with the best the game has ever seen. If we are only talking England than the debate is over! Rio & Vida full stop
Clint
Yuo have put my thoughts into words mate that is exactly where I am with it.
@Cedars
Yeah I know mate. I just posted about our club because I don’t think you can compare different periods of time or different leagues.
One might argue that you can’t even compare different defensive partnerships at United. For example, Stam/Johnsen or Stam/Berg were very good duos, but they played in a United side that loved to attack, whereas Rio/Vida flourished together during the Carlos Quieroz days. Big difference.
I still believe that teams say from 20 years ago could compete in the modern era….
Don’t you think our 94 team can challenge for honors nowadays?
I think they certainly can
Whats this story on the tabloids doing the rounds about Rooney and Balotelli eating from the same plate.
Mmmmhhh i sense another calculated attempt by bulb head Vieira to unnerve Wazza.Anyone agree or disagree with me?Lol
Don’t think its a coincidence Rio is staying fit and playing better because he’s just concentrating on club football. there’s very little chance he won’t be picked still Englands best centre half I hope he says no but I doubt it
By the way Happy Good Friday…
Costas
I believe yours is next week right pal?
Aguero and City insist that they will fight for the title to the end.At the risk of sounding complacent and arrogant,i think this is more of two bald cunts fighting over a comb.
Depends on the player Cedars. Ince, Keane or Hughes could still cut it in today’s games. Not so sure about Cantona though.
@Cedars
Yeah, indeed it’s next week.
it’s obvious that rio has lost a yard of pace and needed to adapt his game and possibly deeper which he has. He’s always had the ingrained all round class, great positioning and awareness, reading of the game to intercept more than rely on last ditch tackles.
He has had far too many injuries and still gets troubled once or twice but clearly he’s managing that well, doing the required fitness work and not doing too much of it and is reaping the benefits of it now.
Next season, it’s debatable if he’ll be first choice (smalling improving, jones hopefully finding a fixed center back position and working on his game, vidic hopefully getting back to his best but that will take some time, evans will stake a claim too, michael keane might step up from the reserves? e.t.c) but for this season, i hope rio stays fit through to the end of the season, his experience helps galvanise/bring the best out of evans.
Costas
Would have to disagree on Cantona he could play in any era
The best we’ve had, maybe. Not the best ever though. Too many to consider. Opinions will aways vary. The best teams Liverpool had in the 70s and 80s would be in the mix. Milan from 89 to 94 would take some beating. Also remember Dortmund’s paring in 97, that stopped us from progressing. I think one of them won European player of the year. Forget his name…
Costas hi mate getting a bit dire over there saw the story of the 77 year old topping himself,is it really that bad?
Wolves have Ole on their radar regardless of whether they are relegated or not.I dont know your take on this Cedars.Me thinks when you run with wolves you learn how to howl.So wrong club.
Would also like to read King eric’s,costas,mike,willie and samuels take on this.
Any of the old greats would adapt skill is the defining quality in any era
I don’t think many could argue with Costacurta and Baresi, how many scudettos they won I don’t know but always remember them being a rock. Baresi was classy and a beast!! International pairings I’d go for Nesta and Cannavarro. Pretty much won most games for Italy with their shut outs and the world cup in 2006!!
Couldn’t see Rio in Snatch, he’s far too classy. He’d be the well groomed villain who strolls in once the dirty works been done!
I MUST share this fellas……. Just watching a phone in show and the studio guest is Nicky Summerbee….
Arsenal fan calls in…
‘ We are sure to beat City and I hope United win the league because City have become the most hated team in the land’
The look on Summerbee’s face was priceless….. Cunt rambling on about how sure he is about the bitters winning the league…. What a twat, its one thing to support your team but this guy is an idiot, all he talks about is city, even if a caller wants to talk about frigging Everton
Great players are usually ahead of their time during that time period so I believe yes Cantona would easily play with the same influence as he did then, Now.
The best centre back duos of the century is shirley;
Kolo Toure & Stefan Savic followed by Kompany + Lescott.
Djourou + Mertesacker…..just about miss out because they are the best of the next century !
Bye folks, those of you who have Good Friday tomorrow – have a nice long weekend.
Cedars – I soo wish I could share with you what I’m about to have over the weekend
Maldini and Baresi/ Nesta? Maldini played most games at left back didn’t he? Anyway for me still prefer Dolly and Daisy.
90 or 91 season Brucie scored 19 goals!
RedTash – i think solksjaer should snub the Wolves job and build on his first impressive season at molde. I’m guessing the norwegian team will be in the champions league next season? that means ole can gain more experience and tactical knowledge at the highest possible footballinag level.
Rushing off to a wolves side that if dropped to a lower tier will be difficult to navigate through wouldn’t be a wise move, he has time and doesn’t require any hasty decision.
I’m sure i heard about him wanting and having the ambition to hopefully be considered for the united role someday. continuous success in his home land’s championship and decent showing in europe may put him on the list. Time will tell but he should stay with molde and continue to increase his capabilities.
Costacuta was top drawer.
King Eric
You would LOVE what I am watching right now mate, pure comedy gold… Read my previous post and since then United fans have called in and ripped Summerbee to shreds… Funny as fuck
I HATE Barca but if they played like they did at Wembley THAT night they would have beaten that old Milan team of the early 90′s . They were just ridiculous that night and as folk know I fucking detest them.
Cedars – Hello mate,. Funny thing is I still haven’t seen Mike Summerbee’s meltdown when we won 4-3. I was at the game and never got to see it. Comedy gold wasn’t it?
Yeah like Willie says the dippers had Tommy Smith and Emlyn Hughes then Hansen and Lawro. Two great pairings there. Smith wouldnt last 2 minutes in todays game like but Hansen and Lawro would. Two good ball players. Lets not forget Claudio Gentile either for the Italians who my old man said was hard as fuck.
King Eric – Seen clips of Gentile? Dirty cunt lol. Wasn’t it him, that broke Maradon’s ankle at the 82 world cup?
What people don’t get with Barca their relentless dominance of europe is not based solely on their outstanding players but the philosophy they implement.
On paper and possibly on the pitch, real madrid have the best squad of quality players but barca’s first team and co-operation is more efficient and trumps all. They have this ability to dominate a game while rendering their opponents ability to get forward meaningless. They do not have a plan B because plan A is so FUCKING good that we all are finding it hard to find a solution. It also helps that they have the sublime messi who can change a game on his own and teams shitting themselves when he flies forward like a swarm of angry bees, he simply always has an end product and seems a step or two ahead of everyone both technically and footballing intelligence.
It also helps that they get a chunk of handouts from refs and uefa, they roll around like degenerated rats rolling away before getting tickled with a feather, they’re as a team an epitome of CUNTS and a CUNTS that we’ll have to live with and perhaps find a way to combat.
Willie – Yes mate. He was given a man marking job. Dirty as they come and knew all the tricks in the book.
Cheers Samuel.There is not much i can add or take away from your response.
Rio has shown his class this year, he has proved that he can adapt his game and it’s essential he knows how to change it if he wants to carry on at our great club
Red Tash – I don’t think Ole would take the Wolves job mate. He doesn’t that pressure atm. He’s doing a great job at Molde. Seems settled too. Why not have a stab at the CL with them? Coming up against the best teams and managers. It’s sure to test his ability. He could thrive in that company.
@wayne
Hi mate. That was just the most publisized incident, but according to reports, there’s been an increased amount of suicides in the last 2 years. I guess you could say it’s gotten that bad. Austerity measures are taking their toll on a lot of guys. One of my close relatives has been fired from 2 jobs in 2 years due to budget cuts.
I FUCKING FED UP OF WHITE PEOPLE UNDERRATING RIO!!!!
RIO shits on terry, cahill, shawcross and phil jones. And he should still be england captain, he’s a legend and has been a huge part of our successs in the past 10 years.
Willie
That 82 Italy side were dirty fucks, how they won it I have no idea, barely made it out of their group after all the games ended in draws!
mo
Get into the freezer and calm down, what on earth has skin color got to do with anything here
Cedars – Rossi coming back was the difference. It was his tournament. How Brazil didn’t win it, I’ll never know! Without a doubt, the most talented and entertaining team, to never win the world cup. A shame, really.
I would really like to see a run of Barcelona games without Messi! They wont be ordinary but I think they are damn lucky that he seems to be forever fit.
Willie
Too right mate, i remember you and I sharing a few videos on here about that Brazil team with the late Socrates and co…. Best game for me was the semi between France & W Germany, famous of course for Shumacher’s kung fu kick!
Mo is an underover ‘scouse”!
Cedars – That kung fu kick was worse that Cantona’s?
Imagine nowadays, that happening? You’d be done for GBH!
Don’t think he even got sent off if i remember correctly! lol
Mancini:
Issa true no that Carlos issa special and he has proven people wrong no?
Afternoon United
Costas don’t understand the in’s and out’s but seems to me you lads would be better defaulting on the loans and telling the Eurozone to fuck off
Calm down me dearie
Issa no matter if you black or white
Afternoon you reds. Love the debate about best ever CB pairing.
Best I’ve seen in a red shirt have been
Rio and Vidic by a margin
Pali and Bruce would be next.
Buchan and McQueen were really something to behold in their day, tho they didn’t win as much.
Mo which white people exactly? That’s just stupid talk mate
@wayne
At times I agree with that logic. Greece would be back on its feet quicker than it will now. If it ever does. But there’s been a lot of panic talk about what a default would mean for the country. No food on the shelves, no drugs at the pharmacies, etc etc. If you ask me, the real danger from such a development would be the destruction of the eurozone. That’s what they want to avoid.
Costas, Greece might be just the start. Getting word that Spain has had trouble with a bond flotation this week. Very troubling. Clubs will feel it as well, best to get on financial secure position. What is saving the Spanish giants right now is their control of their own TV networks. I think the virus made a hugh windfall selling off their old training complex. Anyone flown into Madrid the last couple years will know those 3 absolutely gigantic office structures stand on that land. Heard that Real made three quarters of a billion in the deal.
Speaking of Claudio Gentile, do any of the old timers here remember watching Gaetano Scirea ? Gentile’s central defensive partner for both Juventus and Italy ? Supposed to have kept Baresi out of the starting 11 until he retired. Also a gentleman who never got a red card in his career. Died at the age of 36 just after he’d retired..
Costas I watched a program on the Eurozone and there was a lot of fiddling going on by banks to make some countries debt better than it was in order to be accepted and most seemed to be aware of what was going on and choose to ignore it
Wouldn’t want to be part of anything were the Germans and French have most of the power.
A lot of analysts seem to think the Eurozone is doomed anyway,house of cards mate
@Fletch
If it was the Spanish government that bought off Real’s training facilities, that would explain their financial state.
Barca also had their fair share of financial woes. Spanish and Italian clubs bear the brunt at the moment. And like you said, you have to have a safety net.
The economic crisis is something felt by the smaller fish for now. But as it gets worse, everyone’s bound to feel. That’s why I always say that if you just focus on one Eurozone country’s woes, you won’t see what lies behind.
@wayne
That’s the best way to describe it. You could also say it’s as strong as its weakest link. That being Greece on this occasion.
And the thing I’ve never been able to believe is that they weren’t aware of some country’s true financial state. Supposedly it was the Greek government that made its financial situation look better than what it was. And they bought it? It was just a convenience to have the host of the Olympics as part of the group.
My usernames based on Rio’s shirt number so I for one would bloody love it if he got player of the season, class class player!.
I’m hoping Vidic returns like he never left, that this long injury doesn’t affect him too much. Perhaps a good pre-season would be very useful to getting him back to some fitness… but I don’t think anyone can say for certainty whether he’ll still be able to withstand/dish out crunching tackles and headers and the likes. The depth for the defence isn’t looking good, not sure why some are still going on about the central midfield.
There is no difference between any of us who support United
At the end we all as Cedars would say are RED, and that is what separates us from everyone else
19
Problem is that ManCity splashing the cash moves the goalposts for everyone else, they all have to up the anti, to compete on the wage front and can’t afford to do so, if their practices are not curbed I can see more financial disaster heading towards decent clubs. It’s ironic that City’s interests are also in our financial sector which we as tax payers subsidise, in a way we are forced to have a stake in a club we despise. I’d rather my taxes went to Accrington Stanley!