Ruud Replacement

[chiff]

Just read "Rant" again - surprisingly good - and their article about Ruud replacement. Interesting to note how few decent strikers there are about Europe never mind the Prem.

I don't think that SAF is going to replace, and despite the fragility of Saha, I hope he doesn't. Reason being that I don't think we're going to play with someone who does nothing other than "strike" - hence the Ruud/Saha swap. The most popular style at OT currently is to fiddle around the halfway line and then play the ball 20-30 yards forward, on the deck, to a guy with his back to goal. Then a quick layoff to someone moving forward and then you're just outside the area going forward at a rate of knots. That's when your Rooney, Saha, Ronaldo, Scholes come into their own and we do play that game well. The Crouch lay off is not something that Ruud ever did well - he's a converter of crosses and since diddy David went, they're not there as often.
So I think we're going for "total striking" with 3 or 4 players scoring 15 goals apiece. (hopefully) Just hope that we start practising penalties but then again , that was hardly Ruud's forte!

[Sky Sports 1]

Read that article on RANT also this morning and as they said it's apparently known that SAF is an admirer of Defoe who i belive would be a great signing.

He can turn people easily, great control, decent pace and factastic finishing from the strangest positions.. he can create his own space and oppurtunities too. To top it off he would be cheap

[TheFutureIsRed]

I really feel sorry for Ruud this season . What people don't understand that Ruud is not Henry, he lives on crosses and killer passes. With Ronaldo never crossing the ball and Giggsy playing in middle last season he never got any crosses also Scholes injury played a major part as he never got that killer pass that he thrives for.

United expect him to fight on his own upfront and provide bits for rooney to score. I still agree with many that this season was not his best but I think these factors contributed to that.

Good or not, Ruud provide minimum of 25-30 goals a season. With him not in the team I think it will be v hard for saha to fill his shoes. Dare I say that not even Rooney can fill his shoes atm. Not to mention his goal scoring records in Europe.

He loves United & I still hoping for a miracle so he stay with us next season. PLEASE FERGIE

[onenedkelly]

Yeah but we seen how Ruud was latter end of the season he just didn't look that interested.

A fit and wanting to play and win Ruud is worth over £25 mill still EASY

[TheFutureIsRed]

onenedkelly said:

Yeah but we seen how Ruud was latter end of the season he just didn't look that interested.

That's what I was trying to explain, "why Ruud is not too interested anymore?". Everyone blaming Ruud here, & rightly so, but I personally don't think that SAF Handel the situation very well as well. Ruud should stay & fight for his place but the way he's been treated ( not allow him to play in keno testimonial) is unacceptable.

He deserve respect for what he done for united. #worship#

[Sky Sports 1]

We won't get 25 mil for him even if he is a proven goalscorer in europe and the premiership purely because of his age.

Maybe he just didn't look bothered towards the end of the season because of the things mentioned above.. he knew it would take so much effort to score without giggsy's width and crosses on the right and scholes' balls through the centre, Ronaldo being slightly selfish at times.. He would come back next season knowing it would be so much easier to score as everything will return better, Giggs back on the left, Ronaldo greater consistancy, Scholes back with another World Class central mid and maybe even 2 center mids or other unexpected signings.

Ruud would thrive next season if he can survive the summer.

[onenedkelly]

Ive all the respect in the World for Ruud and always will no matter what happens from here on in but he gave it up mate at the end of the season.
Sunderland at home every ball that came into him at feet he didn't once try to control the ball or hold it up, it was all flicks.
Never once during the game did he challenge for a header or go looking for the ball.

Considering he's one of the best forwards in Europe to date, I as a fan should not be able to notice such things as the above within twenty mins I knew he didn't look right, and that was a must win game for us.

If I was a manager of a Sunday league team and I noticed that in a player I would have dragged him off

[TheFutureIsRed]

Altough I will be sad to see Ruud leave this summer but i can't argue against SAF decision to give saha a chance. We paid 12 million for him and he deserve his chance in team after the amount of goals he scored. He grabs it with both hands, all credit to him. Every time I see him play, he give 100% and chasing the ball all over the place. I know it's not Ruud style but I think all we wanted to see that he still want to play for us.

I think Ruud should stay and fight for his place. With few good signings we will be major force next season and he will be fool to leave us now. #shakehead#

[Sky Sports 1]

7even said:

I couldn’t see the problem to be honest. Everything was fine, then Alex dropped him even though he was scoring, wasn’t he? To have what, 21 goals to his name and to say he’s missed a good few games is decent, well I think anyway. But instead of sulking, go out there on the World Cup stage, bag goal after goal and show Alex that he was wrong to drop you, or at least light up a transfer war between the top European clubs so we get a decent price for you, if you decide you can’t be assed playing for us anymore.

If you think about it effectively he wasn't actually dropped as it was a different competition, Louis was started as he scored the goals which got us to that perticular final and deservedly so he started. If you consider the oppurtunities that Ruud has had, the FA cup, Champs league and League he has been our starting strker and we failed them.

As for playing well in the world cup he has a lot of motivation, play well and either come back to United for another chance or bugger off to one of europe's top clubs if you play well. Would still love him to return to United next season and fight the competition.

[matkaman]

Hope he doesn`t go,still like the idea of a 4 striker concept ala 99,dont think we really are in a position to loose him but if it comes to it in my opinion Teddy was one of SAF best signings and i dont think you could go far wrong with Henrick Larsson could still do the job for 2 more seasons used in the Teddy mode not a starter every game got good experience and could help out the younger players in a similiar fashion to what Teddy did.Like VDS dont think it would take time to settle,shame his signed for his old Swedish club.Actually think Ruud is irreplaceble,there arnt too many goal predators about ,so dont want us buying a Saha clone as there are qute a few of them .

[moxdevil]

I love him to bits (in a non-gay way) but i think he stifles our attacking play now. He looks as though he's lost a bit of pace, even since the injury, to the point now that he cannot get away from defenders. His general play is poor when he can be bothered; end of the season he looked like he couldn't be arsed and was content to stand up front relying on a ball to get to him. Fact is he relies on service more than most strikers because he rarely produces anything of his own, at a time when we have only a right back who can cross a ball consistently, and a lack of creative midfield.

Perhaps we should part ways; he's won bugger all at united, and maybe we should look for a different style of forward that better complements what we've got in our team?

[Sky Sports 1]

He does rely on service more than most, but he is the most effective when he gets the service.

Fact is we have less people needing service than those who can create goalscoring opportunities for themselves now aka.Rossi, Rooney, Ronaldo, Giggs, Saha and possibly more to come this summer.

Now because we have those kind of players that means nothing really is created for team players, especially because of their ages.. they need to mature and share what they create such as Ronaldo crossing more..

When we've failed this season against teams such as Sunderland etc. is when these players haven't performed and made opportunities for themselves.. and they haven't made them for others either so Ruud has failed hence the criticism of Ronaldo not passing, probably more frustration than criticism.

Would change next season with Giggs back out on the wing, Scholesy back, consistency with Ronaldo (hopefully more crosses than wasted runs).. I really think Ruud would thrive next season should the right people return and new ones come in.

[AlexTheRed]

I don't think we urgently need to find a replacment for Ruud if we get a decent midfielder or two, because Smithy can come back

[schmeichel1]

Ferguson wants Gudjohnsen apparently.

[Busby Boy]

There's this player we have in the united ranks called Ruud van Nistelrooy, his record is 150 in 200 I reckon we could play him next season, what about you?