Yeah we'll see.
Owen Hargreaves | 2010/11 Performances
- Thread starter SharkyMcShark
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Like everyone else I hope and pray this isn't another false start. I've always thought if he ever comes back will he be able to recapture his form of 2006? One step at a time old curly - wish you the best of luck mate.
Same here. Had set my mind that we wouldn't be seeing him on the pitch again. Best of luck to him and I really hope this is true
Why would he get a negative reception?
new haircut (?)
Noway, the love for Hargreaves is in addition to his beautiful locks, not because of it.
Believe it when i see it.
Aren't 99.8% of the reactions pretty much a case of deja vu regardless of the story that the reactions are pertaining to?
Don't often get unique reactions ...
The reactions will always be the same. A spectrum from enthusiasm to cynicism.
The difference here is the news source. This is the first update from Steadman himself. Hence it's being treated with a bit less cynicism than most of the previous updates. By sensible caftards anyway.
The difference here is the news source. This is the first update from Steadman himself. Hence it's being treated with a bit less cynicism than most of the previous updates. By sensible caftards anyway.
Aren't 99.8% of the reactions pretty much a case of deja vu regardless of the story that the reactions are pertaining to?
Don't often get unique reactions ...
This.
He'll be like a new signing! Same as every season.
Whether Sir Alex agrees with Steadman about him being near match fitness we shall have to see. But the timing would be good with Valencia out. Perhaps he could manage a bunch of matches till Valencia returns and if he stays fit till the summer someone might even want to pay money for him.
Whether Sir Alex agrees with Steadman about him being near match fitness we shall have to see. But the timing would be good with Valencia out. Perhaps he could manage a bunch of matches till Valencia returns and if he stays fit till the summer someone might even want to pay money for him.
If he is proven to be fit again he wont be going anywhere. Even in the summer.
Wouldn't bank on that Chief.
Not sure he will ever be the player he once was even if fit again as his game relies so much on energy and movement. I think the coaching staff have already mentally made plans for life without him in the squad.
Not sure he will ever be the player he once was even if fit again as his game relies so much on energy and movement. I think the coaching staff have already mentally made plans for life without him in the squad.
I agree...if we can get Hargreaves back this would lessen the impact of losing Valancia plus we'd have a true free kick specialist.
Excellent news but im not getting carried away either.
If he returns then great, if not then don't get your hopes up so soon. Although I do feel after all he's been through that he surely deserves a change in fortune.
If he returns then great, if not then don't get your hopes up so soon. Although I do feel after all he's been through that he surely deserves a change in fortune.
I feel bad for not being too excited, but can you blame me?
Wouldnt be wise. He's not going to be first or even second choice in any position and he's prone to being out for long spells again. And thats even in the miracle that he's just as good a player as before his injury which is very unlikely. Also, he's a glass canon playing a very physical role. Even if you told him to go steady to try and preserve what little playing career he can still have, he wouldnt be half the same player.
If we get him in the condition where he can play games, keep him till the end of the season so he can act as cover for Valencia and then when/if Valencia can come back and play his stuff before the end of the season, we can move Hargreaves on to a club where his experience and qualities are worth the long spells out, because when he plays he's one of the best players at the club. A bit like with Saha only less playing... So maybe even a lesser club than Everton.
He's also nearing the end of his contract. We'd be fools to give him another one, unless it was a pay as you play contract which he surely wouldnt be happy with.
Nah, he's much better in wide areas (right back, right mid). Take a look at Schweinsteiger, he has the qualities you've said above, but there's a significant difference in his performances and Hargreaves in the middle. One of the main reasons is that he's not running around all the time leaving the midfield open.
Nope. The sensible ones aren't getting too excited by yet another update. When Hargreaves comes back, plays a full 90 and looks like he's ready to come back into the first team then I'll get excited.
Right now, this is just another 'He'll be ready in 2 weeks' we've heard before. The only difference is it's come from Hargreaves doctor. When Fergie says Hargreaves is physically and mentally ready and he's played a few full reserve games then I'll find some reason to get all giddy with excitement.
So you believe he will come back a better player after the nearly 2 year absence and the numerous major surgeries? If so, then that explains the wildly optimistic evaluation.
Personally, if he does come back I'd stick him on the right wing or right back. See how he does there before putting him right in the middle where he's likely to get exposed.
I actually scrubbed in with Steadman many moons ago
Shame, the case was just on a norm, considering all the top athletes he operates onCan it be real
What is this obsession people have here with putting Hargreaves in his less favoured positions? He's a brilliant defensive midfielder, and a utility back up full back or wide midfielder.
It's hard to think of a more 'professional' player than Hargreaves. He's always had exceptional fitness and if anyone can come back at a high level after so long out, it's probably him.
He'll be a much lesser player if he cannot achieve such exceptional fitness after his injury. Its a big part of what made him the player he was and now its a huge ask for him to get back to that level.
Hargreaves was brilliant for us 2007-2008, the difference between us winning the Champions League and not the season before. He's first choice for us if really fit in big matches (ahead of Rooney) in any position. I just hope he can get back.
well that's bullshit. He wasn't brilliant, nor was he the difference. Ronaldo rio rooney scholes carrick tevez evra vidic brown vds etc all had better seasons. And before you talk about our cl exit the year before.. Well rio and vidic had injury problems at the time. And when was he a brilliant dm? feck me, if he's a brilliant dm then i wonder what the praise is for the dms or midfielders who play that role and are actually very good at it. I use to stick up for hargreaves a lot but its clear its better for the team when he's in wider positions. Where his energy and enthusiasm doesn't leave a hole in midfield. Edit.. Oh and his good performances in the cl came from the right wing anyway!
RW is open atm, because Valencia is the new Hargreaves
you mean LW. Nani claims RW for the forseeable future.
Well, the good thing is Nani is his adaptability, I think if Hargreaves plays well, which obviously there is a good chance he wont, or at least he will be injured quickly, that Nani at LW and Hargreaves at RW doesnt look too bad to me. Also, I liek the look of Hargreaves and Rafael on the right side, although I have only seen it on paper
Bold All played the season before aswell... Also Carrick in 2007-2008 better than Hargreaves? lol...
Who said anything about DM? Apart from the fact he didn't leave holes in the midfield (He and Anderson vs. Liverpool), the rest of the post is nonsense... he was brilliant for us in the 2007-2008 season, look at the Barca/Arsenal performances especially.
You overrate just how 'brilliant' Hargreaves was in midfield and seem to have forgotten that it was Fergie who used him on the right side on more then one occasion, and it was in fact the right side and not the center that he has his best games for United. So it's not my obsession to have him play there at all. If anything, you're the one who seems obsessed with the idea that a player who has been out for 2 years, who has some of the worst knees in the history of the game can just come back in, gain his fitness, be mentally prepared and go out and out perform players who've been playing and progressing while he's been enjoying the fresh mountain air in Colorado with his pal Dr Steadman.
I personally would like to see him eased into the game. You know, just so he doesn't succumb to another injury. Being somewhat injury prone I'm thinking a position like right wing where he won't have some hard nose midfielder running into him might be a better option. Defensive midfield is a tough position for a man who's been out that long, we have no idea what shape he will return and how ready for the game he will be.
With Valencia out, we could use him on the right. He was a good natural crosser of the ball and if he can get his fitness back he might just be able to provide enough cover for someone like Rafael who can do the leg work behind him.
Yes they all played in seasons before Tevez, Nani, Anderson and Hargreaves were added to the squad to take our squad depth and talent to its highest point in recent memory. This way players were able to be rested and stay fresh even at the business end of the season and our double was proof of that being the way to go.
Personally I felt he was best against Roma, against Arsenal he scored a great freekick but other than that.
Carrick in 2007-2008 was miles better than Hargreaves has ever been for us in central midfield. Hargreaves actually wasnt very good in that position, hence by the end of the season his only games, his only break throughs into the team, were playing right back and right midfield or left midfield for the majority of the champions league final. Now okay Carrick has taken a step back since then, but Fletcher has taken a few forward and Scholes is playing great stuff. Even if by some miracle Hargreaves was able to come back, fit and fresh and at his best level he's shown at United, he'd be way down the pecking order behind those 3, Giggs if we dont need him wide and maybe Anderson too. Sir Alex rates Gibson highly as well.
Thats if is a miracle happens. Realistically he wont be the same player. Even if he was going to come back as nearly the same quality of player it'd take a season or two to get back in the same shape, form and sharpen up his skills. And the honest truth is that even if we got him back and playing half decently, he's not going to stay fit enough for the long process ahead to get him back to where he was at United, let alone Bayern where he was better.
On the 1st of July 2011 after this season finishes, Owen Hargreaves' contract will expire. Tell me, if you were Owen Hargreaves would you accept a pay as you play contract? When you're that prone to injury and have had so many spells out and played so few matches? It'd be as big a gamble for him, as us offering him a normal contract would be. And we surely wouldnt be that stupid given whats happened on his current four year contract.
It's really a shame...even if Hargreaves does force his way back into the side, I cannot imagine him being the same player he was three years ago. Sadly, I see him moving on to another club in the summer.
Don't see why not. If he makes it back he'll be playing without pain and that's something he hasn't done as a United player.
It was difficult to think of a better RB than Gary Nev before his injury. It's not just getting over the injury and back to first team availability/fitness, but actually getting sharp and match-fit without other niggles cropping up as a result of a long period out of the game. Hope I'm wrong but I'd be surprised if he was a force again.
We should ease him back in to the team as goalkeeper, that way he wont have to run to much and stress his knees
That's not a bad idea. He's played in goal for United before, so I'm sure he'd do a great job deputizing for EVS.
Steadman is yet to fail. He usually totally fixes players up. I'll be very surprised if Hargreaves returned to proper match fitness and then we moved him on in the summer.
That just your take on things. A fully fit Hargreaves would be an asset to our side. No question.
No he isn't. All his problems with injuries have stemmed from dodgy knees. If Steadman has worked his magic again, Hargreaves will not get injured as often any more. If at all.
That's a terrible assupmtion really. Many players have come back from long term injuries and have still proven to be top players or in some cases like Xavi, better than the were prio to injury. People like Alan Smith are actually the exception to the rule.
Still more assumptions. You just don't grasp that all his problems with injury came from dogy kness. Once those knees are completely fixed, as Steadman believes they are, he wont be getting injured as much. That should be obvious really. All this talk of a 'glass cannon' is laughable in the extreme.
You do think up some serious bullshit don't youWe wouldn't be fools to give him another one once his knees are fixed. For his knees have been his one and only problem.
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