[batdude_uk1]

Speaking of Messi and Barca, I have just finished reading the book I mentioned previously, and I would reccomend it, it is a throughally good read.

[BomoLad]

Big game again tonight for our Danny Welbeck. Having to play with Andy Carroll too, which is an interesting combination. There's something in Danny Welbeck everyone else sees but....I can't. Is it a personal failing on my behalf or is everyone else wrong? I suspect the latter. To be honest, I'm convinced, but I hope he does well.

Parker was quite poor last week vs France and he'll need to have a better game tonight.

[batdude_uk1]

Is anyone else looking forward to when the fixtures are releashed?
It is always a good time, as you work out where you could go on a decent run, what the first and last games are like, and when the derbies are!

Not long now!

[batdude_uk1]

Originally Posted by BomoLad

Big game again tonight for our Danny Welbeck. Having to play with Andy Carroll too, which is an interesting combination. There's something in Danny Welbeck everyone else sees but....I can't. Is it a personal failing on my behalf or is everyone else wrong? I suspect the latter. To be honest, I'm convinced, but I hope he does well.

Parker was quite poor last week vs France and he'll need to have a better game tonight.

Danny is very good and is maturing into a very good striker, if he could up his percentage of goal to shots, which is the final piece of the jigsaw, then we will have a beast of a player on our hands.

[BomoLad]

Originally Posted by batdude_uk1

Is anyone else looking forward to when the fixtures are releashed?

Yesh Mishter Bond!


Or...no. Not really. It's only a vague guide as to when the fixtures might be. With cup runs, weather, TV and the rest of it, they actual fixture list looks a bit different after the season has finished.

We'll be away again on final game. Always are.

[Kierenj]

Surely has to be Man Utd vs Man City at OT on the last day of the season...

why they don't try and pre-empt the title deciders is beyond me... I'm sure they have their reasons... I guess it's all about maximising advertising and it makes more sense to spread out the big events than have them on the same day.

[Richie1001]

Originally Posted by Kierenj

Surely has to be Man Utd vs Man City at OT on the last day of the season...

why they don't try and pre-empt the title deciders is beyond me... I'm sure they have their reasons... I guess it's all about maximising advertising and it makes more sense to spread out the big events than have them on the same day.

Risky leaving it until the last day. If the title has been decided by then a big money grabbing game losing some of it's pull. Having it 2 or 3 games before the end does make more sense from a TV ratings point of view.

[Cantona07]

Originally Posted by BomoLad

Big game again tonight for our Danny Welbeck. Having to play with Andy Carroll too, which is an interesting combination. There's something in Danny Welbeck everyone else sees but....I can't. Is it a personal failing on my behalf or is everyone else wrong? I suspect the latter. To be honest, I'm convinced, but I hope he does well.

No, I'm not convinced by Welbeck at all either. He is a good player and he will score some goals (in many ways he is better than i expected at this stage) but is he good enough to be up front for club and country yet? Not for me. People want him to do well because he is the local boy through the youth ranks and he may well go on to cement a place in the side but right not I'm not so sure.

[JoTaylor]

Originally Posted by batdude_uk1

Is anyone else looking forward to when the fixtures are releashed?
It is always a good time, as you work out where you could go on a decent run, what the first and last games are like, and when the derbies are!

Not long now!

I remember being shocked last year when they came out cos they already had the derby on the Monday. I just want the first couple of months to see which are home games. I can't plan any weekends away yet cos M moans that he has to give his ticket to someone if we're away for home games.

Keep your fingers crossed for me that we're away the first game - I've already buggered up and booked a weekend in Hamburg

[JoTaylor]

Originally Posted by Richie1001

Risky leaving it until the last day. If the title has been decided by then a big money grabbing game losing some of it's pull. Having it 2 or 3 games before the end does make more sense from a TV ratings point of view.

And the policing would have to be huge.

[batdude_uk1]

Originally Posted by JoTaylor

I remember being shocked last year when they came out cos they already had the derby on the Monday. I just want the first couple of months to see which are home games. I can't plan any weekends away yet cos M moans that he has to give his ticket to someone if we're away for home games.

Keep your fingers crossed for me that we're away the first game - I've already buggered up and booked a weekend in Hamburg

I will have them crossed for you don't worry!

Enjoy your time in Hamburg, I haven't been there before, but I have been to other places in Germany before, and they were good fun!

[BomoLad]

Originally Posted by Cantona07

No, I'm not convinced by Welbeck at all either. He is a good player and he will score some goals (in many ways he is better than i expected at this stage) but is he good enough to be up front for club and country yet? Not for me. People want him to do well because he is the local boy through the youth ranks and he may well go on to cement a place in the side but right not I'm not so sure.

I'd say it's next to impossible for the player to grow as a striker at a club at United. With a defender or a midfielder, errors can be covered up and atoned for. When a young striker goes off the boil, we're not in a position to wait around for him to get back on it again. If next season he isn't as prolific as the last, I'd consider loaning him out.

[JoTaylor]

Originally Posted by batdude_uk1

I will have them crossed for you don't worry!

Enjoy your time in Hamburg, I haven't been there before, but I have been to other places in Germany before, and they were good fun!

I've only been to Munich - we went for the anniversary a couple of years ago. I liked it but the weather was freezing being February so I'm hoping I can enjoy a few steins outdoors this time.

[Tombstone]

Originally Posted by BomoLad

Big game again tonight for our Danny Welbeck. Having to play with Andy Carroll too, which is an interesting combination. There's something in Danny Welbeck everyone else sees but....I can't. Is it a personal failing on my behalf or is everyone else wrong? I suspect the latter. To be honest, I'm convinced, but I hope he does well.

Parker was quite poor last week vs France and he'll need to have a better game tonight.

I am not impressed by Welbeck at all. It is something I cannot put my finger on, but he just does not look like the real article.

[BomoLad]

Originally Posted by Tombstone

I am not impressed by Welbeck at all. It is something I cannot put my finger on, but he just does not look like the real article at all.

For me it's his lack of ball control and poor distribution. People say that his best role is as someone who links up play with the midfield but I've never seem him to this effectively. Yes he'll come deep to get the ball but his awareness of what to do with it beyond that point is very poor.

He was very fortunate to get the number of games for us last year as he did. The manager unwisely went into the season with three strikers of favour and once Hernandez got injuries and went off form, there was little alternative. Next year he won't start 1/4 of the games he has last season.

[Tombstone]

Originally Posted by BomoLad

For me it's his lack of ball control and poor distribution. People say that his best role is as someone who links up play with the midfield but I've never seem him to this effectively. Yes he'll come deep to get the ball but his awareness of what to do with it beyond that point is very poor.

To be fair, Wayne's control and distribution was diabolical at times last season.

[BomoLad]

Originally Posted by Tombstone

To be fair, Wayne's control and distribution was diabolical at times last season.

I thought he had a good season myself. although of course in patches his form was off.

My worry for Rooney both at club level and international is that he becomes 'our Steven Gerrard' a player we run into the ground simply by over-reliance on him. Never giving him sufficient recovery time with injury etc. I think to be honest there's a danger that is already happening.

[Cantona07]

Originally Posted by BomoLad

For me it's his lack of ball control and poor distribution. People say that his best role is as someone who links up play with the midfield but I've never seem him to this effectively. Yes he'll come deep to get the ball but his awareness of what to do with it beyond that point is very poor.

He was very fortunate to get the number of games for us last year as he did. The manager unwisely went into the season with three strikers of favour and once Hernandez got injuries and went off form, there was little alternative. Next year he won't start 1/4 of the games he has last season.

I just don't think we go into games with defences fearing us with Welbeck up front - even compared to Hernandez far less a new signing.

[Tombstone]

Originally Posted by BomoLad

I thought he had a good season myself. although of course in patches his form was off.

My worry for Rooney both at club level and international is that he becomes 'our Steven Gerrard' a player we run into the ground simply by over-reliance on him. Never giving him sufficient recovery time with injury etc. I think to be honest there's a danger that is already happening.

I agree. His natural love of playing football will stop him complaining too.

[Tombstone]

Originally Posted by Cantona07

I just don't think we go into games with defences fearing us with Welbeck up front - even compared to Hernandez far less a new signing.

Again I agree. Henandez had a poor second season, but centre halves will still fear his pace. Terry must have nightmares about him.

[BomoLad]

Originally Posted by Cantona07

I just don't think we go into games with defences fearing us with Welbeck up front - even compared to Hernandez far less a new signing.

You're right. The thing I believe Hernandez adds is he's a distraction to the defenders. We could essentially make do, effectively, with nine outfield players if we employed Hernandez simply to make runs. He doesn't even have to touch the ball. His presence in the team makes room for others.

[BomoLad]

Originally Posted by Tombstone

Again I agree. Henandez had a poor second season, but centre halves will still fear his pace. Terry must have nightmares about him.

There were times last season when I thought games were screaming for Hernandez. Especially against slower defences, particularly in the second half of games.

[Kierenj]

Originally Posted by JoTaylor

I've only been to Munich - we went for the anniversary a couple of years ago. I liked it but the weather was freezing being February so I'm hoping I can enjoy a few steins outdoors this time.

Hamburg is class... great drinking and a good city aside from that. Some of the boozers have urinals at chest level with a 6inch diameter drain and handles either side for vomiting... class.

Although there is a street on the Reiperbahn that you won't be allowed down... it has wooden boards at either end... you're not missing out!

[JoTaylor]

Originally Posted by Kierenj

Hamburg is class... great drinking and a good city aside from that. Some of the boozers have urinals at chest level with a 6inch diameter drain and handles either side for vomiting... class.

Although there is a street on the Reiperbahn that you won't be allowed down... it has wooden boards at either end... you're not missing out!

Oooh thanks for that. I shall report back if I have vomit buckets in the ladies

I've just been looking at bars actually. What are the beer prices like? I know that most major cities are a bit dearer than your average but we're not talking mega bucks are we?

[BomoLad]

All my friends tell me Berlin is filthy. I so wanna go.