Right, I’ve just got to get this off my chest.
As Ruud proved again against West Ham, he is an absolutely superb finisher. No question he is amongst the best players in the world at putting the ball in the net, and I don’t think we’re going to see him missong many chances.
However, having watched him for two years, am I the only one who thinks his directness and selfishness is actually causing a problem to United? So often, and especially against City and WH, he gets the ball, sticks his head down and doesn’t look to put players in. Playing as he does on his own, his role must be to receive the ball and lay it off either to a midfield runner down the middle, or out wide to Giggs and Beckham. I counted so many times in the last two games where Schole, Giggs, or Solskjaer made a run that just called for an early pass. All Ruud did was try and beat the defender using his strength and shoot. Often he would lose it, and you can see Scholes looking at the sky and wondering why!!!?? Its got to such a state, that I get relieved when he passes it because its so unexpected.
Uniteds great sides all had striker whos received the ball and quyickly lays it off to players comeing through: Hughes, Cantona, Yorke, Sheringham. Not only did this create fast unpredictable counter attacks, but also meant that goals were shared around. I don’t think you can win the league relying heavily on one striker to score. I never was, and am not worried now about Liverpool because they over relied on Fowler, and now Owen. Yes, both would score 30+ goals a season, but they’ll never win the league because their style of play is too predicatble with only one real sourceof goals. Arsenal last season scored from everywhere (just like we used to do until last season).
The lack of goals this year can’t be a coincidence.Last year Ruud was unknown and he scored loads, noe he’s finding it harder, and the way that he plays makes it difficult for United to adapt. I have sympathy with him playing on his own, and agree that he needs a striker to play with. He is going to have to learn to pass the ball earlier though, and probably be less selfish if United are going to have a TEAM that can score 80+ goals a season (and wins titles), rather than one striker who gets 30+ on his own (and wins nothing in the league like Liverpool). This is specially true if we’re going to get a pacy striker like Cisse. The way Ruud sticks his head down, Cisse will never see the ball.
Don’t get me wrong, Ruud is clearly class, and we’re lucky to have him. I just want him to elimate this part of his game because I’m convinced United will score more goals as a consequence.
As Ruud proved again against West Ham, he is an absolutely superb finisher. No question he is amongst the best players in the world at putting the ball in the net, and I don’t think we’re going to see him missong many chances.
However, having watched him for two years, am I the only one who thinks his directness and selfishness is actually causing a problem to United? So often, and especially against City and WH, he gets the ball, sticks his head down and doesn’t look to put players in. Playing as he does on his own, his role must be to receive the ball and lay it off either to a midfield runner down the middle, or out wide to Giggs and Beckham. I counted so many times in the last two games where Schole, Giggs, or Solskjaer made a run that just called for an early pass. All Ruud did was try and beat the defender using his strength and shoot. Often he would lose it, and you can see Scholes looking at the sky and wondering why!!!?? Its got to such a state, that I get relieved when he passes it because its so unexpected.
Uniteds great sides all had striker whos received the ball and quyickly lays it off to players comeing through: Hughes, Cantona, Yorke, Sheringham. Not only did this create fast unpredictable counter attacks, but also meant that goals were shared around. I don’t think you can win the league relying heavily on one striker to score. I never was, and am not worried now about Liverpool because they over relied on Fowler, and now Owen. Yes, both would score 30+ goals a season, but they’ll never win the league because their style of play is too predicatble with only one real sourceof goals. Arsenal last season scored from everywhere (just like we used to do until last season).
The lack of goals this year can’t be a coincidence.Last year Ruud was unknown and he scored loads, noe he’s finding it harder, and the way that he plays makes it difficult for United to adapt. I have sympathy with him playing on his own, and agree that he needs a striker to play with. He is going to have to learn to pass the ball earlier though, and probably be less selfish if United are going to have a TEAM that can score 80+ goals a season (and wins titles), rather than one striker who gets 30+ on his own (and wins nothing in the league like Liverpool). This is specially true if we’re going to get a pacy striker like Cisse. The way Ruud sticks his head down, Cisse will never see the ball.
Don’t get me wrong, Ruud is clearly class, and we’re lucky to have him. I just want him to elimate this part of his game because I’m convinced United will score more goals as a consequence.