Karim Benzema

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Mind you he still scored twenty goals for us last season.

Yes. Over a whole season. Hands down I prefer Rooney as he is now for eh got 20 in half as much time. He is our best player now and shouldn't be forced to do a shift out wide for anyone expect Messi or Ronaldo who we will never sign. We didn't do that to any previous best player we've had. Except in serious emergencies. So we shouldn't be doing it to Rooney ever again.

Obviously he is better this year but he CAN play on the left and still score goals for us. But I m sure we are not going to get Benz because if anything Real will sell Higuain first and not Benz. All they care about is the name and status of the player and not his performance. That is how they run that club. The only thing that is keeping Higuain from the transfer list on his team is his scoring ability and once he stops scoring goals, he will be sold.

For me, us getting a Benzema will only mean us having to sufficiently strengthen our midfield in order to properly play 4-4-2. Which IMO wouldn't be easy. For I really doubt Fergie would dare play 4-3-3 and force Rooney wide again. In fact I bet it's Benzema instead who would forced left tbh.

Plus I think we will also be better of buying Silva because if we sell Berbatov now, we will not make any profit and it is better to keep him than to get a loss from his sale. We need to get either Silva or Hamsik this summer. Silva can replace Giggs on the left or Hamsik can replace Scholes in the middle. I m fine either way.

For me we don't need to sell Berbatov regardless of who we sign. Selling him would needlessly weaken our squad depth.

 

[RDCR07]

For me we don't need to sell Berbatov regardless of who we sign. Selling him would needlesly weaken our squad depth.

I never said we should sell Berba. In fact I think he is happy to come of the bench. I mean if he stays here he is going to win titles and he is not going to go any top team in the world after his stint here, even if he leaves. So his best option is to stay here to win trophies. If we buy a striker then, I think Berba will take up Owen's position on the bench and we can all say goodbye to Owen.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

I can't see Benzema leaving Real after just one season, if all the players left after an average/poor first season, we would have seent the likes of Andy Cole leave us, Bergkamp leave Arsenal etc.
What we should concentrate on is the effectiveness of our current succesful formations and look to better and improve that, and that is our 4-3-3, so with Nani and Valencia both on the right, we shold look to a left-sided player (Silva?) and to bolster our midfield. We have Flecther and Hargreaves, if he ever does return, to play on the right, Carrick and Scholes in the middle and Anderson left, although he's looking grim.
A midfielder of defensive or attacking qualities would do me.

I'd take Silva and either Hamsik or Sissoko for our midfield.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

I never said we should sell Berba. In fact I think he is happy to come of the bench. I mean if he stays here he is going to win titles and he is not going to go any top team in the world after his stint here, even if he leaves. So his best option is to stay here to win trophies. If we buy a striker then, I think Berba will take up Owen's position on the bench and we can all say goodbye to Owen.

Fair dues. I agree with you.

 

[Carl]

It's just wishful thinking that we'll buy a striker. In big games we only play 1 up top anyway and that man is Rooney. Then we have the likes of Berbatov, Diouf, Owen, Macheda and Welbeck. I'd much rather spend the money on areas that need it much more. GK, wing and centre midfield.

 

[RDCR07]

It's just wishful thinking that we'll buy a striker. In big games we only play 1 up top anyway and that man is Rooney. Then we have the likes of Berbatov, Diouf, Owen, Macheda and Welbeck. I'd much rather spend the money on areas that need it much more. GK, wing and centre midfield.

None of them can play upfront on their own. What happens if Rooney is injured or something? Who do you play upfront? For heaven sake even Rooney struggles sometimes playing upfront on his own, then you can imagine how the others will struggle.

 

[Garethw]

None of them can play upfront on their own. What happens if Rooney is injured or something? Who do you play upfront? For heaven sake even Rooney struggles sometimes playing upfront on his own, then you can imagine how the others will struggle.

Agree 100% mate. There are some very narrow minded individuals on here. If Rooney (god forbid) were to pick up a long standing injury (ala torres) then our attack would be like liverpools, toothless.

Aquiring a goalscoring centre forward that can play with Rooney or in place of him is just as important as other positions mentioned already in this thread.

 

[ERICSAGOD]

Personally, I'd love Benzema at United. I think he and Rooney would work very well and we would have a very strong, fast and lethal attack and in the event they wanted to get rid, I reckon we could pick him up for a cut price too which would be nice.

Isn't this exactly what people were saying prior to us buying Berbatov?

 

[RDCR07]

Isn't this exactly what people were saying prior to us buying Berbatov?

Not everyone will turn out to be like Berba. Some of them will play very well like RVN and some just wont click like Veron.

 

[Anduin]

If there was any chance chance to sign Benzema I'd take him in a heartbeat. A player who would excel in a 4-4-2 beside Rooney and could be used in a 4-2-3-1 on the left wing as well is exactly what we need.

This doesn't necessarily mean I'd want Berbatov to leave the club. If he doesn't mind the rotating keep him, he's a cracking player and there are signs of improvement IMHO.

 

[RedSky]

Benzema and Rooney together would be like an upgrade of the Rooney / Tevez partnership. They'd be dynamite together. If we can get a cut price on Benzema and he's willing to leave then i'd sign him in a heartbeat, he'll be an excellent player in the near distant future.

 

[Chirag]

Benzema and Rooney together would be like an upgrade of the Rooney / Tevez partnership. They'd be dynamite together. If we can get a cut price on Benzema and he's willing to leave then i'd sign him in a heartbeat, he'll be an excellent player in the near distant future.

I don't think so.. I think Benzema is the next best thing to Fernando Torres.. They are very similar in most parts of their game.. However I think Tevez and Benzema/Torres are very different type of players..

 

[RedSky]

I don't think so.. I think Benzema is the next best thing to Fernando Torres.. They are very similar in most parts of their game.. However I think Tevez and Benzema/Torres are very different type of players..

From what I've seen of Benzema, he likes to get around the pitch. He doesn't jump in and tackle as much as Tevez, but his movement is just the same if not a bit better. Couple that with some fine finishes and you got yourself a better Tevez.

I'm no expert on Benzema however, i've barely seen him play in 10 times.

 

[Carl]

None of them can play upfront on their own. What happens if Rooney is injured or something? Who do you play upfront? For heaven sake even Rooney struggles sometimes playing upfront on his own, then you can imagine how the others will struggle.

Berbatov plays up front on his own regularly for Bulgaria. We'd just have to play a different way to suit his strengths. Also, we haven't seen enough of Diouf yet but he has all the attributes to play up top on his own and Macheda definitely has it in his locker, he's just a bit raw.

Midfield
Goalkeeper
Left Wing

These need sorting first. In that order too.

 

[Chirag]

From what I've seen of Benzema, he likes to get around the pitch. He doesn't jump in and tackle as much as Tevez, but his movement is just the same if not a bit better. Couple that with some fine finishes and you got yourself a better Tevez.

I'm no expert on Benzema however, i've barely seen him play in 10 times.

Of what you have described above does that not sound like positives Torres has as well?

Torres doesn't jump into tackles
Torres Likes to get around the pitch (often pops up on the wings)
Torres has got some fine finishing (Tevez is hardly a fine finisher most of his goals are scrappy IMO)

I know I may be forcing it a bit and probably bringing up a very silly point but Benzema to me as I said earlier is the next best thing to Torres..

Berbatov plays up front on his own regularly for Bulgaria. We'd just have to play a different way to suit his strengths. Also, we haven't seen enough of Diouf yet but he has all the attributes to play up top on his own and Macheda definitely has it in his locker, he's just a bit raw.

Midfield
Goalkeeper
Left Wing

These need sorting first. In that order too.

Why a GK? VDS just signed a new contract... Which means he will more or less play every game.. I think both TK and Foster provide excellent backup.. I think if we are buying a GK he will be an accomplished keeper who will come in right away as our 1st choice.. So I don't see the need for a GK really until VDS leaves.. & Unless I am missing something obvious here SAF and the GK coaches have said the Future of united's GK's are TK and Foster.. However I get the feeling that Foster will leave in the summer (But obviously I may be wrong)

Also everyone keeps saying we need to sort out our CM options.. I think we need to do no such thing.. Obviously we could do with improvement but that would mean the end for 1 or 2 of our current CM's..

Fletcher - Secure
Carrick - Secure
Scholes - Will sign a new 1 year deal IMO
Ando - Given his injury I think he will now remain at the club for atleast another season
Gibson - May have to go out on loan or be sold if we get someone in..
Hargo - Unknown..

So again IMO there is no NEED to get in a CM but it would do us good if we got a good creative CM in there.. I say CM with reason.. If SAF wanted anything but a CM he would not have converted Ando into one..

So IMO basically We desperately need to solve our Left wing problem.. Over and above that we need 1 more player i.e either a Quality striker or an Attacking CM..

 

[Carl]

Fletcher - Secure
Carrick - Secure
Scholes - Will sign a new 1 year deal IMO
Ando - Given his injury I think he will now remain at the club for atleast another season
Gibson - May have to go out on loan or be sold if we get someone in..
Hargo - Unknown..

All you have accomplished here is highlight my point that we need another midfielder. The only 2 we can rely on for next season are Carrick and Fletcher.

 

[MadDogg]

Isn't this exactly what people were saying prior to us buying Berbatov?

Not really. There was a lot of hope that they'd click, but there was also quite a lot of wondering over whether Berbatov was the right kind of partner. It was always fairly quiet and lost in the excitement of the chase, but that bit of doubt was always there.

Although most of that doubt was about him playing in Rooney's preferred role as second striker. But now that Rooney seems to have moved fully up front it still doesn't seem to be working as well as we would like.

From what I've seen of Benzema, he likes to get around the pitch. He doesn't jump in and tackle as much as Tevez, but his movement is just the same if not a bit better. Couple that with some fine finishes and you got yourself a better Tevez.

I'm no expert on Benzema however, i've barely seen him play in 10 times.

I really wouldn't compare Benzema to Tevez, he doesn't have anything like the wild enthusiasm and endless energy that plays such a huge part in Tevez's game.

I'd compare him more to Torres or Rooney (this season's version). Likes to drop back a little deeper at times and create things and has surprisingly good vision and short-passing ability (not sure on his long-passing and vision), but generally wants to be upfront looking to score.

 

[Chirag]

All you have accomplished here is highlight my point that we need another midfielder. The only 2 we can rely on for next season are Carrick and Fletcher.

How? I just confirmed that we will have atleast 4 quality CM's.. Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes and Anderson.. Hargo we honestly do not have a clue on and Gibson will probably have to go out on loan if Hargo is back and fit or if we sign another CM..

 

[Mainoldo]

How? I just confirmed that we will have atleast 4 quality CM's.. Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes and Anderson.. Hargo we honestly do not have a clue on and Gibson will probably have to go out on loan if Hargo is back and fit or if we sign another CM..

Seriously... All you've done was highlight that Carrick and Fletcher are our only reliable midfielders!!

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Of what you have described above does that not sound like positives Torres has as well?

Torres doesn't jump into tackles
Torres Likes to get around the pitch (often pops up on the wings)
Torres has got some fine finishing (Tevez is hardly a fine finisher most of his goals are scrappy IMO)

I know I may be forcing it a bit and probably bringing up a very silly point but Benzema to me as I said earlier is the next best thing to Torres..



Why a GK? VDS just signed a new contract... Which means he will more or less play every game.. I think both TK and Foster provide excellent backup.. I think if we are buying a GK he will be an accomplished keeper who will come in right away as our 1st choice.. So I don't see the need for a GK really until VDS leaves.. & Unless I am missing something obvious here SAF and the GK coaches have said the Future of united's GK's are TK and Foster.. However I get the feeling that Foster will leave in the summer (But obviously I may be wrong)

Also everyone keeps saying we need to sort out our CM options.. I think we need to do no such thing.. Obviously we could do with improvement but that would mean the end for 1 or 2 of our current CM's..

Fletcher - Secure
Carrick - Secure
Scholes - Will sign a new 1 year deal IMO
Ando - Given his injury I think he will now remain at the club for atleast another season
Gibson - May have to go out on loan or be sold if we get someone in..
Hargo - Unknown..

So again IMO there is no NEED to get in a CM but it would do us good if we got a good creative CM in there.. I say CM with reason.. If SAF wanted anything but a CM he would not have converted Ando into one..

So IMO basically We desperately need to solve our Left wing problem.. Over and above that we need 1 more player i.e either a Quality striker or an Attacking CM..

We really have real no need for another forward. After all we currently have 3 quality senior ones and 3 quality up and comers. But because of our lack of a left winger and a mroe physical version of Scholes we cna't play 4-42 to acommdate any 2 of them at the same time

We will only be able to do that by strengthening our flanks and midfield Not by adding a forward.

 

[Ringo 07]

Its extremely normal for players that are not performing to be linked with other clubs! Nani has been linked to Milan and Fiorentina before he started playing well and Anderson to Lyon etc

I think Madrid would be foolish to sell Benzema after one season and I can't see it happening but with Real Madrid you never know and if they are keen to land David Villa than they might just sacrafice Benzema but highly unlikely and then Benzema would probably go where he can get most money!

 

[samabachan]

For me, Benzema would play similar to how Louis Saha played when he was injured. If you let him do that it will create all sorts of space, and then Rooney would be even more deadly.

 

[Olly Gunnar Solskjær]

For me, Benzema would play similar to how Louis Saha played when he was injured. If you let him do that it will create all sorts of space, and then Rooney would be even more deadly.

Wouldn't really be worth signing him then if he would just play FIFA sat in the injury room.

 

[MadDogg]

But because of our lack of a left winger and a mroe physical version of Scholes we cna't play 4-42 to acommdate any 2 of them at the same time

No top teams plays only two central midfielders against other top teams. They all focus so much on that department that going up against them in a 442 will be a suicide mission more often than not unless we go out and sign Essien and Xavi.

Even back when we had Keane in the centre, plus Beckham doing a lot of the hard work and playmaking duties of a central midfielder, we tended to come unstuck a lot against the other top sides in Europe. We got some good wins, but we also had a relatively high amount of losses. It's simply an inconsistent formation when it's coming up against teams of similar level with an extra man in there, and inconsistent is something you can't be if you want to succeed in Europe.

Having a stronger midfield would mean we would be more likely to go 442 against the likes of Aston Villa, but Fergie won't play it against the bigger team.

 

[Carl]

How? I just confirmed that we will have atleast 4 quality CM's.. Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes and Anderson.. Hargo we honestly do not have a clue on and Gibson will probably have to go out on loan if Hargo is back and fit or if we sign another CM..

No you haven't. Scholes is already limited in what appearances he can make and next year he's an extra year older so theoretically will play even less. Anderson has been inconsistent to say the least and now faces an injury that could well spill into next season so how you can call them 2 "quality CMs" going into next season i really don't know. Especially in Anderson's case.

 

[Chirag]

Seriously... All you've done was highlight that Carrick and Fletcher are our only reliable midfielders!!

No you haven't. Scholes is already limited in what appearances he can make and next year he's an extra year older so theoretically will play even less. Anderson has been inconsistent to say the least and now faces an injury that could well spill into next season so how you can call them 2 "quality CMs" going into next season i really don't know. Especially in Anderson's case.

As I see it we have 6 CM's and unless 2 of them are gone I simply cannot see us signing another one.. You guys and I can think whatever we want but let the transfer window & SAF do the talking (in their actions over the summer) and tell us who was right and who was wrong..

We really have real no need for another forward. After all we currently have 3 quality senior ones and 3 quality up and comers. But because of our lack of a left winger and a mroe physical version of Scholes we cna't play 4-42 to acommdate any 2 of them at the same time

We will only be able to do that by strengthening our flanks and midfield Not by adding a forward.

As I said in my earlier post I think our main priority is a Left Winger.. After that we could either sign a striker (by getting rid (either sell or loan) of 1 or 2 of Owen, Berba, Welbeck, Diouf) or we could get a CM (by getting rid (either sell or loan) of 1 or 2 of Hargo, Gibson, Anderson)

But yet again we can never know for certain.. We can argue on for hours, days & months Meanwhile SAF will probably not sign or sell anyone..

 

[RDCR07]

I really dont get this. Berba has not even been here two years and he gets so much stick here but Ando has been more than Berba has and he never gets stick from us. Its Berba who actually performs better of the two. He scored important goals for us last year but Ando on the other hand, I think, has still not put in a game changing performance for us. And Ando has played in more big games than Berba has so far.

 

[Wan]

Carrick, Fletcher, Scholes, Ando, Gibson, Giggs, Hargreaves(when fit), O'Shea(emergency) competing for two places(most games). No point getting anyone else there unless we don't think Ando has what it takes and sell him off.

 

[x42bn6]

Carrick, Fletcher, Scholes, Ando, Gibson, Giggs, Hargreaves(when fit), O'Shea(emergency) competing for two places(most games). No point getting anyone else there unless we don't think Ando has what it takes and sell him off.

Scholes and Giggs can't go on forever, Gibson may never be good enough and Hargreaves may never be the same again. We essentially have 2 midfielders without question marks (Fletcher and Carrick) and the remaining one, Anderson, won't be playing for a while.

We do need a new midfielder I think.

 

[Wan]

I really dont get this. Berba has not even been here two years and he gets so much stick here but Ando has been more than Berba has and he never gets stick from us. Its Berba who actually performs better of the two. He scored important goals for us last year but Ando on the other hand, I think, has still not put in a game changing performance for us. And Ando has played in more big games than Berba has so far.

He's only 21. You expect him to perform on the same level as Scholes has over the years? At his age, Carrick was playing in a league below the EPL. At the same age, Fletcher lost his place to Giggs and O'Shea of all people. In 07/08 he only had 24 games if wiki is correct. So Ando isn't that far off from where they were.

 

[Wan]

Scholes and Giggs can't go on forever, Gibson may never be good enough and Hargreaves may never be the same again. We essentially have 2 midfielders without question marks (Fletcher and Carrick) and the remaining one, Anderson, won't be playing for a while.

We do need a new midfielder I think.

That's true. But they won't turn shit overnight. Lesser games for Ando and Gibson to feature in. How do you expect them to improve? Fletcher wasn't good enough for us years back.. he turned out al right. I'm not saying Ando and Gibson will have similar progression, but if we don't give them chances, we would never know don't we.

 

[RDCR07]

Carrick, Fletcher, Scholes, Ando, Gibson, Giggs, Hargreaves(when fit), O'Shea(emergency) competing for two places(most games). No point getting anyone else there unless we don't think Ando has what it takes and sell him off.

I think we should sell Ando and Scholes is going to stay for a MAXIMUM of one more year. We need a replacement for Scholes and Hamsik is I think the right option. He attacks as much as Scholes used to do when he was young. We have two great holding midfielders - Carrick and Fletcher. They can defend and Hamsik can attack. Hamsik is the leading scorer for Napoli this season.

Regarding our left wing - we have Giggs for one more year. Our best bet would be to train Nani and Obertan to be better on the left. I have not seen anything from Obertan except that one game against CSKA Moscow or Wolfsburg. He hasnt really made an impression from the chances that have been given to him. I know he has been injured but he should be making more of the chances that are given to him.

 

[RDCR07]

He's only 21. You expect him to perform on the same level as Scholes has over the years? At his age, Carrick was playing in a league below the EPL. At the same age, Fletcher lost his place to Giggs and O'Shea of all people. In 07/08 he only had 24 games if wiki is correct. So Ando isn't that far off from where they were.

Wiki is never correct - it stills says Scholes has only 435 appearances when clearly he has so many more and it also says Tevez scored only 19 goals for us whereas he more 15 more in his second season with us.

 

[VoetbalWizard]

I really dont get this. Berba has not even been here two years and he gets so much stick here but Ando has been more than Berba has and he never gets stick from us. Its Berba who actually performs better of the two. He scored important goals for us last year but Ando on the other hand, I think, has still not put in a game changing performance for us. And Ando has played in more big games than Berba has so far.

because anderson is cool as feck and berbatoss is a boring bastard. also because anderson is young and learning and berbatov is supposed to be at the peak of has career and is man utd's most expensive signing ever..yet doesn't play like one.

also because ando has made ultra high pressure pk's before whereas berbatov fluffs pk's that are 10% as pressurized in the most nonchalant way possible.

 

[I_live_cement]

Wiki is never correct - it stills says Scholes has only 435 appearances when clearly he has so many more and it also says Tevez scored only 19 goals for us whereas he more 15 more in his second season with us.

Those are only stats for the League.

Scroll down to the table for all competitions.

 

[Wan]

Paul Scholes..
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:02, 31 January 2010 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Carlos Tevez..
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10:39, 7 February 2010 (UTC).

 

[devilish]

The team has the numbers needed to do well against anyone. Stating that, can anyone say that Nani/Obertan can step up and take Giggs place NOW? Can anyone say that our forward line would still be banging goals for fun even if Rooney gets injured at long term? Can anyone say that we can afford to see VDS leave? I know that you can't always have good cover for everyone. Stating that Giggs is 35, VDS is 39 and the gap between Rooney and the other strikers is little less then embarrasing.

A goalkeeper, a striker and a winger is a must, even though it would also mean selling/loaning players to make space for new ones.

 

[EZee]

if rio cant begin to string a good run of consecutive games together and mrs vidic does indeed have her heart set on a move somewhere with a bright yellow thing in the sky id say we will need a new experienced cb as well

 

[Chirag]

The team has the numbers needed to do well against anyone. Stating that, can anyone say that Nani/Obertan can step up and take Giggs place NOW? Can anyone say that our forward line would still be banging goals for fun even if Rooney gets injured at long term? Can anyone say that we can afford to see VDS leave? I know that you can't always have good cover for everyone. Stating that Giggs is 35, VDS is 39 and the gap between Rooney and the other strikers is little less then embarrasing.

A goalkeeper, a striker and a winger is a must, even though it would also mean selling/loaning players to make space for new ones.

Exactly! Thank you..

 

[Carl]

Exactly! Thank you..

It's possible we wouldn't be, but it's possible we would too. Berbatov leads the line well for Bulgaria so he could do it here too, it just means our midfield would need to support him more than they do Rooney and when playing 2 up top it simply means he'd be partnered by Owen or Diouf.

As i said before, strikers aren't a priority for me. It's midfield. If they contributed more to our goal scoring then the burden wouldn't be on Wayne's shoulders.

If you seriously think we'd struggle that much with the loss of Rooney then, imo, it indicates you think we have a lack of quality in all areas. Not just up front.