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LIVE BLOG: United 2 - 0 Valencia

August 5, 2009

Scott is the editor of RoM and has a season ticket at Old Trafford. He writes for The Mirror and Red News. He started The Republik of Mancunia in March 2006. Follow @R_o_M on Twitter.

Hughes Gets Cocky About His Playing Days… But What About His Managerial Career?

VIDEO: Rooney and Cleverley Goals vs Valencia

135 Comments

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Tony Starks August 5, 2009

Isaidso

To be honest I'm quite happy with front 4 of Nani, Berba, Rooney and Valencia (even though it means Nani gets played out of position)..

It would be great if we got a left sided player like Silva but it just ain't gona happen. But the thing is Park will always play left midfield in the big games as the manager trusts his discipline etc more than Nani..

Yes we will see, I think Rooney is more than capable of providing the individual brilliance. I don't really see us being that different from last year, but success depends on how much the other teams improve..

By the way (I'll say this quietly) I think we will miss Tevez on the pitch but am glad the little prick has gone

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Altonian August 5, 2009

@Isaidso - The tripe you are coming out with makes me wonder whether you are indeed a Utd supporter or have even watched them before.

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Isaidso August 6, 2009

Altonian - Just because I am honest about the present state of my team IMO, doesn;t mean I am not a United supporter or that I dont follow them home and away. And no I will not give you a mouthful and call you names, because we are ALL UNITED fans though we see things differently. So lets wait until end of season and see who got it right eh?

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Sunny August 6, 2009

isaidso is just a pimply teenager too hung up on a single issue.

What amazes me is the width of players this year, an unusual amount of youngsters coming through, stable core and some shrewd new buys. We could probably field 2 teams in the PL this year...

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Sunny August 6, 2009

And we would place 1st and 5th at least.

Shitty is going down with a billion in the bank...

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King Eric August 6, 2009

Isaidso - You are talking shite you dipper bastard. I have just got back from the game and I thought we played well second half. Owen and Rooney linked up well. Although he missed 4 chances he was in the right positions to start with. For fuck sake it was his first home game, the goals will come, and plenty of them. Fletch was his usual solid self, Ando did well when he came on as did Gibbo. There is FUCK ALL wrong with our midfield, although Carrick's passing at times seemed a bit "off " again. We won comfortably and did not get out of second gear. Have some faith man, we started to tick more second half and is only a matter of time before we really do gell and start scoring in abundance. I cannot believe how negative you are. We have won 6 out of 7 pre seasons. Which other top 4 team has? You need to get a grip pal. Number 19 will be coming to Old Trafford.

To say there were 74,000 in Old Trafford the atmosphere was what you would expect for a pre season , no songs just the mexican wave. What was with their players doing their workout right at side of pitch, with the coach leading the group? Comical.

De Laet was superb, Evra was class and as for Rio the man was immense. Cleverly looked bright when he came on and Valencia will be a star. Rooney was just, well, Wayne Rooney!! Love him.

As for Silva I really don't see the hype, he did fuck all.

Bring it on.

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King Eric August 6, 2009

Isaidso - Not meaning to have a go mate but just CANNOT see your logic. Are you saying everyone else is wrong but you. Expect BIG things from this SQUAD. The balance is amazing. 8 or 9 young uns. Yes EIGHT or NINE who all look fucking quality. Then the experience of Giggsy, Scholes and Nev. Then the class of Wazza, Rio, Carrick, Fletch, Vidic, Evra etc . Then the great new signings Valencia, Owen and Orbetan.

Must admit though for me the jury is still out on Tosic.

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unitedgirl15 August 6, 2009

Thanks for the blog scott.

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trevor August 6, 2009

@King Eric,

I agree.

Our youth players all look fantastic! I cant wait to hear Alan Hanson in the first match of the day! Do you think he will comment about winning anything with kids???

I doubt it!

Out squad is in such a strong position it is unreal.

What we need to do this season is hit the ground running, and in additon to this we should have hargreaves back... I think alot of people have forgotten how good he is! Although i dont think he will be firing on all guns until after christmas! but could prove vital for the important part of the year!

Just to highlight how good our youth Academy is, in Coleraine Northern Ireland they host an youth tournament. United youth team won it again this year for a second season running! So in 3 years time there will be some of them knocking on the door as well!

What did you think of berbatov when he came on... He looked a differnt player to last year.. Showing determination down the wing at one point with a fine run!

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Isaidso August 6, 2009

King Eric - I know you cannot see my logic mate - not many people can lol. It is not nice of you to call me a dipper, just because I have a different opinion to you about our MF. Like Scott called me a bluenose because I didn't agree with some of his philosophies regarding out team. Still whatever. There seems to be a continual decrying of United fans on here, who don't agree with what some might call the mainstream view on things. I know you are a red Eric, even though youcannot recognise another Red, because I see our MF strength different to yours. I am a Salford lad, born and bred Man united in a family of Man Utd fanatics, but on Rep of Mankunia, some of you people are very good at name calling United fans with different opinions. Like I say though King Eric, I am a United fan and don't need to prove anything to you. I still have a mind of my own though, and I think we have a lot of problems in MF, but let us wait and see whether I or you am right - I watched the game on MUTV because I moved to Newcastle as my missus is a Geordie born, but I get to most games except midweek ones. Not that it makes any different, but I resent being called Dipper or Bluenose by my own United fans, because I have doubts about certain areas of our play - anyway whatever mate!

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sppibsihmkcrkg August 6, 2009

you know i get depressed sometimes reading the comments of our "fans". It's a pre-season friendly, and some are already writing players off. Owen is expected to score with every touch, every rooney touch must be amazing, berbatov must beat every player on the pitch on the way to his seventh hat trick of pre season before some ppl are happy. And why the hell are ppl talkin about delap, deelap and the rest! Get the names right ppl. Owen's rusty, but will he get more goals than tevez last year? Undoubtedly. Will rooney have more of a say this year being played more centrally which fergie has admitted he has too and the player openly prefers? Definately. Will berbatov improve? Of course. Question marks remain over anderson and nani but fletch took few years before he reached potential. Criticism is expected from time to time, and everyone has opinions but some of the comments are pathetic. We've always been known for being patient with kids with talent so try supporting your team, the players and the manager instead of criticizing their every breath.

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Isaidso August 6, 2009

Sunny listen mate, I am 24 years of age, with an honours degree, so lay off the pimply student gaff you ignorant prick! I have supported United since I was knee high to a grasshopper, because I was breast fed United by my father and grandfather, so fuck off with your pimply teenager shit. Just because I have a brain, and dare to say where I think we are lacking as a team - doesn't make me right, but doesn't make me wrong either, and the same goes for you. So think before you feckin make false assertions mate!

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trevor August 6, 2009

@Isaidso

Mate i think you miss the point about pre season friendlies & also what you expect from the MF.

Tonight for me. Our wingers played wide and forward with our 2 central midfielders staying back mostly covering. Our full backs were overlapping and joining the attach yet again being covered by the central midfielders!

The shape of our team looked good. We created a good number of chances. It was an end to end game and did us the world of good!

We all know its going to be difficult this year with ronaldo going, new players in, Change in formation & change in certain players rolls. But added to this we were a young team last year and the likes of Anderson, Nani, Gibson, Macheda, Desilva & Co will all improve this year..

Its easy to jump on the band wagon and just critisze, i just find it so frustrating.

like for me Owen played well tonight, made excelent runs, i do think he should have scored however he did well with the chances he had.. The dink of the keeper normally would have went in...Also dont forget that this is the first time he has played for us at old trafford! I am sure he would have been a little nervous at the reception he would be given after all the negative feedback and comments he has receveid!

We had some plonk on here asking for fergie to take him off after he didnt score any of his first 3 chances...I dont class people like that as true supporters. Supporters Support & get behind their team!

We all have opinions! WE all express them to some degree but at least we should use comon sense!

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Tony Starks August 6, 2009

Differences of opinion are what makes this game so great! The fact that people can talk 24hrs a day about a group of people kicking a piece of leather about..

Imagine how boring this forum would be if everyone had exactly the same views! To be fair to Isaidso I have spoken to other Reds who share his concern about the midfield..

I thought the whole purpose of this place was for Reds to discuss with each other views on the team and players.. sometimes it's easy to get carried away with pre-season form (it happens to Arsenal every year!)

Bring on the competition! this preseason has lasted forever!

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Tony Starks August 6, 2009

But above all we should support the guys wearing the shirt as long as they give 100% try to give players the benefit of the doubt

Above all know that our manager knows FAR more about the game than we do, he doesn't need to prove anything to anyone!

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Isaidso August 6, 2009

Trevor, listen mate I never said anything about Owen or our other forwards, apart from not relying on Rooney for all our goals. I was talking about our MF weaknesses, which most Man United fans I know all agree have many deficiencies, which were exposed against Barca in Rome and in other top games. We could bury our head in the sand, and stay in denial, but there is nothing wrong in HEALTHY DEBATE and realism about where we have deficiences in our team. The problem is, too many people on this blog take it personally and get all hyper about any trype of constructivwe criticism - though not all criticism is NEGATIVE. Guess that's just the mentality os some Man United fans though, but a lot of United fans like myself, can face up to our deficiences, and hope for strengthening. I don't see that makes us lesser fans than you mate - sorry!

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trevor August 6, 2009

@Tony Starks

But do you not think that if we see an improvement from Nani & Anderson, with Valencia fitting in.. Rooney playing more up front & berbatov in his normal position..

Do you not think we could hve enough fire power and strength to do well this year?

You stated earlier you wanted owen taken off... You do know its a pre season friendly!... You know he is lacking a little match sharpness... You know its his first game at Old Trafford.... So why are you so quick to jump down his throat?.

Did he play badly?.. i dont think he did...

Fair enough he didnt score but his performance to me was pleasing!... Made some great runs, some nice neat touches & gave me more confidence that he is going to give us goals this year!

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Altonian August 6, 2009

But you keep ranting on about our MF, it didn't do too badly last season did it? The only player we've lost is Ronaldo and he rarely rose to the occasion in the big games so I'm not sure how all of a sudden it's not going to compete with Chelsea's etc.

I actually liked what I saw of Tosic tonight, although he's still got quite a slight build I thought he held off players well. Had a few nice touches & runs and his crossing was pretty good, seems to get plenty of pace and whip on them.

Not much to say about Valencia, what he did says everything. I think he's going to be a great asset to the team this year, especially when he's reached full fitness.

Once again Berba with a nice little 20 min run out, just his delicate flicks and overall gameplay such a pleasure to watch.

I thought Silva made them a lot more threatening at times when he came on, he split open our defence twice within the first ten minutes of the 2nd half. Kind of like Messi in a way, his close ball control is excellent and rather than excessive shooting his vision and passing is top notch, or at least it was tonight anyway.

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trevor August 6, 2009

@Isaidso

With regards to what happend in Rome i dont think any of our players performed or turned up to be honest!

That had nothing to do with the MF... We won the league last year and got to the final of the champions league..

THis year im not expecting rooney to score all the goals! I think ROoney, Berbatov & Rooney will get goals..

In addition to this a more spread of goals thoughout the midfield....At least this is what i am hoping for!

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sppibsihmkcrkg August 6, 2009

debates good and does give you insight into what other supporters think but does it not irk you when ppl are saying players are no good coz they've not had good pre season? How can owen, a free transfer, be so shit when he hasn't even played a league game? Personally i'd prefer him to miss every chance he has in pre season and play every minute if it means match one of the lge he's sharp and match fit, which i don't remember him being too much at newcastle. And ppl are questioning valencia already. Can't ppl get behind the team more

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Isaidso August 6, 2009

Tony Starks - thank you mate - and you are right about respecting different opinions. If this blog is just about everybody agreeing about everything, then it isn't a decent debating blofg of discussion at all, but a playground for children who all must play nice with each other, or be cast out - bloody shame if that be the case!

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Isaidso August 6, 2009

Trevor, so why did Fergie himself say that our MF was over run in Rome, and the players themselves too? Yes, I agree we didn't perform, but to perform you have to have a strength and combativeness in MF which we lacked. It was something we lacked against Chelsea they year before, but we got lucky in the penalty shoot out. If you can't even admit to that, to another United fan, then no point in even trying to debate with you! So fine by me.

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Tony Starks August 6, 2009

@trevor

erm.. I don't actually remember saying anything negative about Owen, I was actually quite pleased with his performance, his finishing will definitely improve with games, you don't lose that

Anyway I kind of agree with your analysis about the attack.

If I said that we will be the same as last year is that bad? Premier League Champions and Champions League finalist? Yeah I'll settle for that! But with a different final result!

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Altonian August 6, 2009

What? Against Chelsea in the match when we should of been 3 - 0 up at half time? Maybe i'm missing something?

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Tony Starks August 6, 2009

By the way I get the dreaded feeling that Kuszcak will get the nod in goal! No!

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King Eric August 6, 2009

Isaidso - Fair enough mate, I apologise, I did try to on my second post.

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King Eric August 6, 2009

Trevor - You make some good points mate. It was TonyBee that dislikes Owen .

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King Eric August 6, 2009

Tony Starks - I think you might be right about TK.

Isaidso - What about our midfield against the Rentboys last season? They were over run by an "ageing" Giggsy!

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trevor August 6, 2009

@Tony Starks

Sorry fella.

Too many tonys on last night! Mistaken identity!

@Isaidso

Our midfield was overrun in rome because they underperformed! For me i think they played at 60% of their ability, or maybe they were overtaken by the occasion.

It is unusual to watch United in any game where if you had to pick the top 10 players not one would get in the team.

Rome is a sore point for me, I was so dissapointed and gutted that none of our players turned up or the night. I do however feel we were very unlucky that eto scored on 10 minutes or so as we were all over them.. I thought fergies tactics were spot on,, Barca looked rattled. Another thing that didnt help us was the fitnes of Rio and vidic, Rio hadnt had that many games and was only 80 or 90% fit i would say... In addition to that Vidic got injured in training the night or few nights before. Paddy Crarand highlighted this and was supprised he played!

My point is about rome is that all teams have blips, it is hard to judge a team and critisise during 1 game. I feel we have to give the squad we have a chance, lets see what these youngsters can do.

I find it ridiculas that after last season some fans are still over critical. We won the permier league last season. We didnt come 2nd, 3rd or 4th. We got to the semi final of the FA Cup, We wont he worthless cup.... Ronaldo helped i agree but wasnt the only player on the pitch.

In fergie i trust!......He has built team after team. He has had variation in tactics which mostly have worked. Im really looking forward to this season, there are so many youngsters and players that i am excited by and cant wait to see what they can do.

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Isaidso August 6, 2009

@KingEric - thanks mate - no problem! I missed your other post where you softened your stance a bit. Maybe I am going to have to soften my stance a bit on this blog, because my comments seem to rattle many a cage. Not deliberately mate I assure you, I just like to not just always have to say the right thing all the bloody time, when I can see flaws in the team etc. There is political correctness in football, where you cannot seemingly be classed as a real fan if you criticise anything to do with club or players. To be honest mate, that is bollocks to me, because IF fans really do care about their club, they will say where change might be needed. Sir Alex himself, just like me always gets blasted for saying exactly how he sees things lol, so I am in good company. Not saying it is always right, and I will have to try to express myself and my concerns in a different way than I do - I guess. Enjoy the banter with you though King Eric. So keep the red flag flying high eh?

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King Eric August 6, 2009

Isaidso - No mate, no problem. You keep up your posts as you are as it would be boring if we all had the same opinions. I do infact share some of yours, believe it or not. It was wrong of me to call you a dipper and again, for that I apologise!

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TonyBee August 6, 2009

TREVOR....
Just cos I despise Liverpoo and any cunt who has ever played for them and feel deep down that buying Owen was a fucking huge mistake, doesnt give you the right to diss my comments( calling me a plonk). Everyone has their own opinion and as i have followed the reds for over 40 years, feel that my opinoin is just as valid as yours... you are very vocal when expressing your thoughts and want to belittle anyone with whom you disagree with. remember that was a slow friendly last night and Owen missed 4 or 5 good chances, rusty he may be but he still missed them nevertheless.my request in an earlier post for SAF to take him off was a plea to see Berba go at it.
Owen for me is too old, too slow, not sharp enough and, worst of all, an ex-dipper. In my humble opinion he will only be used as a sub like Tevez was last year and will get a few goals certainly, but only as the supply will be a lot better.

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King Eric August 6, 2009

TonyBee - Evening mate. I have to disagree. As much as I despise the dippers and previously Owen, it is a good buy. He ain't too old he is TWENTY NINE. I was at the game last night and I thought the lad looked sharp and still has pace. He isn't quite up to speed at United just yet but once he is I am 99 per cent sure he will bang goals in. Ok I know he should have last night but the fact he was in those positions in the first place is very encouraging. His movement off the ball and the way he gains space was superb. I would imagine there was alot of pressure on him to score at OLD TRAFFORD. You don't forget how to score goals mate and for the first time in years he looks like he is in love with the game again. Have faith in him Tony, he WILL NOT disappoint. To be honest just to write him off already and state "he is an ex dipper" is a little short sighted.

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TonyBee August 6, 2009

King Eric- Hiya mate ok i read the above post and I cant say I agree wholeheartidly with your comments about Owen. if he doesn't get injured and stays fit and we win loads next year as i think we are going too and he puts in a season long sustained effort then fine. i will publicly come on here and declare my love for him(in a non-sexual way lol) but on reflection he might still be a shit hot player, but at the moment past memories of him still rile me...... but I will always have this little feeling in the back of my neck that he is not doing it for United he's doing it for himslf first off all. i pray to the almighty (Sir Matt) that he is the player that you all hope he will be...
if he ever gets a hatrick i will come on here and recant and call myself the biggest twat of the year....... lol