Post by Busby Boy on Jul 22, 2006 15:30:02 GMT
United eventually lost in the final of the Vodacom Challenge Cup on penalties in what was a great experience for the youngsters that travelled in the squad to South Africa.
Ben Foster and Chris Eagles missed the two penalties in the end, with David Jones, Patrice Evra and Kieran Richardson scoring. Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, who got a full 90 minutes, did not take any in what was clearly used as a chance to gain valuable experience for the youngsters.
Plenty of positives though come out of this tour:
-Ben Foster kept three clean sheets in his three matches for United.
-Rossi and Fangzhuo have shown in them we have two top quality young strikers.
-Scholes & Solskjaer made successful returns from injury, Solskjaer bagging two goals and Scholes looking lively in the three games.
-Youngsters such as Bardsley, Jones, Rossi, Fangzhuo, Eagles, etc proved United have a very bright future and in South Africa they got the chance to gain valuable experience which will put them in good stead for the future.
To end it all off, this tournament has been all about gaining experience and fitness. The defence and Ben Foster kept clean sheets in all three games and in the two games with Kaiser Chiefs, the side were thoroughly tested.
I don't really think it's necessary for all these fans to come out with "This tournament has shown United will not challenge for the title" and bollocks like that. Pre-season is about gaining fitness and experience, yes it's nice to win but in reality we won two and drew one.
Our World Cup stars and hopefully new signings will return to the fray from Monday and it is vital they all get fitness, sharpness, experience and come out of pre-season without injuries and ready to take our trophy back off Chelsea.
Ben Foster and Chris Eagles missed the two penalties in the end, with David Jones, Patrice Evra and Kieran Richardson scoring. Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, who got a full 90 minutes, did not take any in what was clearly used as a chance to gain valuable experience for the youngsters.
Plenty of positives though come out of this tour:
-Ben Foster kept three clean sheets in his three matches for United.
-Rossi and Fangzhuo have shown in them we have two top quality young strikers.
-Scholes & Solskjaer made successful returns from injury, Solskjaer bagging two goals and Scholes looking lively in the three games.
-Youngsters such as Bardsley, Jones, Rossi, Fangzhuo, Eagles, etc proved United have a very bright future and in South Africa they got the chance to gain valuable experience which will put them in good stead for the future.
To end it all off, this tournament has been all about gaining experience and fitness. The defence and Ben Foster kept clean sheets in all three games and in the two games with Kaiser Chiefs, the side were thoroughly tested.
I don't really think it's necessary for all these fans to come out with "This tournament has shown United will not challenge for the title" and bollocks like that. Pre-season is about gaining fitness and experience, yes it's nice to win but in reality we won two and drew one.
Our World Cup stars and hopefully new signings will return to the fray from Monday and it is vital they all get fitness, sharpness, experience and come out of pre-season without injuries and ready to take our trophy back off Chelsea.
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