The Curse of United
New Season. New Player. New Injuries. Welcome to ManU!
The new season is yet to start but Manchester United will be left ruing their luck as they fell victim to the curse of injuries that haunted almost the whole of last season. Neville, Heinze and Vidic are yet to recover from their injuries following the World Cup. Rio got a knock in a pre-season friendly and is doubtful for the season opener while new signing Carrick damaged his leg against Ajax and is out for a month.
Last season, Heinze, Giggs, Neville, Saha and Scholes missed bulk of the matches due to injuries and it was the team's slow start that eventually came to haunt them towards the end of the season when they still had a chance to clinch the Premiership title. ManUtd faithful would just be hoping this does not happen again, especially since the sqaud is much weaker now that Keane and Ruud have left.
This makes me ponder on the usefulness of pre-season friendlies and trip to other countries, just because more players are beginning to get injured. Does the profit made from such trips compensate for the loss of players? Chelsea's Joe Cole was injured against DC United in USA and now he might miss the season until Christmas. Although Chelsea have enough cover, they will certainly miss him.
Btw, am surprised that Chelsea lost that game where they played Sheva, Ballack, Kalou and the greedy Nigerian teenage fraudster. But more surprising was the 5-0 thrashing Liverpool suffered at the hands of lowly German team Mainz.
Meanwhile, Barcelona are on their American tour and drawing huge crowds. The club's marketing director has been talking of overtaking Real Madrid as the world's richest club in the near future, which by the way is quite possible if they continue to play such attractive football and also able to keep hold of their main stars such as Ronaldinho, Eto and Messi.
The new season is yet to start but Manchester United will be left ruing their luck as they fell victim to the curse of injuries that haunted almost the whole of last season. Neville, Heinze and Vidic are yet to recover from their injuries following the World Cup. Rio got a knock in a pre-season friendly and is doubtful for the season opener while new signing Carrick damaged his leg against Ajax and is out for a month.
Last season, Heinze, Giggs, Neville, Saha and Scholes missed bulk of the matches due to injuries and it was the team's slow start that eventually came to haunt them towards the end of the season when they still had a chance to clinch the Premiership title. ManUtd faithful would just be hoping this does not happen again, especially since the sqaud is much weaker now that Keane and Ruud have left.
This makes me ponder on the usefulness of pre-season friendlies and trip to other countries, just because more players are beginning to get injured. Does the profit made from such trips compensate for the loss of players? Chelsea's Joe Cole was injured against DC United in USA and now he might miss the season until Christmas. Although Chelsea have enough cover, they will certainly miss him.
Btw, am surprised that Chelsea lost that game where they played Sheva, Ballack, Kalou and the greedy Nigerian teenage fraudster. But more surprising was the 5-0 thrashing Liverpool suffered at the hands of lowly German team Mainz.
Meanwhile, Barcelona are on their American tour and drawing huge crowds. The club's marketing director has been talking of overtaking Real Madrid as the world's richest club in the near future, which by the way is quite possible if they continue to play such attractive football and also able to keep hold of their main stars such as Ronaldinho, Eto and Messi.
posted by Lucas @ 9:26 AM
9 Comments:
A curse most definitely.
The EPL and UCL need a Manu firing on all cylinders and that is possible only when all their players are fit. Carrick is a huge blow. Fergie must be cursing his luck.
I am not sure abt Barca being able to overtake Real as the richest club. I have a feeling this season will be very close in the La Liga.
The problem with preseason friendlies this time around is that they come right after the World Cup and hence there are more injuries than what u see in preseason normally.
Manu are lucky that they dont have to play the qualifiers.
Chelsea got a real hammering and so did Liverpool (5-0 damn).both not expected
Gunners play tonight.No henry,lehmann,freddy or cole.
Carrick would be sorely missed, and so are the injured. :'( Probably ManU need players who are willingly to fork out 110% to compensate for the loss.
Other than Fulham, no opponents in ManU's fixture in the first month really pose a threat to the title chase. So I predict: No slow start to the Red Devils, hopefully.
It's not all doom and gloom, you have several players that have recovered from injuries.
Of course, Carrick is a blow. I'm sure lots of anti-ManU folks are having a good laugh.
Thankfully, Rooney and Scholes are available for the first game against Fulham.
Btw, Tevez is the latest player to be linked with ManU....although it is highly impossible a move shd happen considering the high fee his club would demand. I would rather prefer Mascherano than Tevez!
I have been noticing Mascherano since the last Copa America and I'm happy to say that his playing style can fit into United well. I hope one day to see him play for the club.
Anyways Tevez is a quality striker and can contribute just as well, but being the selfish one, Rooney or Saha is likely to be deprived of their share on the ball, though.
And have you heard that actually Corinthians are OFFERING Tevez to ManU? It seems Tevez is looking for a quick way out of the club and ManU could provide him with the answer.
@Soccerguy
Heard that he will cost between 15 to 20 million pounds...but are ManU prepared to spend that much money when it is most obvious that they need strengthening in central midfield? Senna might just be a stop-gap solution...ManU need a Mascherano or a Diarra.
Btw, I still dont understand the need to buy another goalkeeper in Kuczack. ManU already have EVS, Howard, Steele, Foster and a couple more.
Tevez is a FANTASTIC, CREATIVE striker. I've heard he's been connected to Chelsea, but not ManU. You never know though.
Howard's out on loan at Everton while Foster at Watford. But still ManU shouldn't buy a new keeper. It's just a short-term solution to the second-choice. Probably a loan would be better. Or stick with Steele; he's not that bad after all.
Tevez or not, I think we leave it till the season starts. I agree what ManU needs now is a stopping midfielder, but then somebody from the current squad could be axed. Probably Scholes or Park Ji Sung.
By the way, ManU is lately linked with Adriano. How can Glazer find the bucks for him?
I would be surprised if ManU spend more than 5 million pounds before the close of the transfer window.
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