United Better Without Ruud????

[MiddRed]

Is it just me who thinks we play better without RVN? He has become a target man and we dont play the same smooth passing game when we just hit the ball in the box and HOPE he gets on the end of it. Out with Ruud, in with Torres - in with a new era at Old Trafford!!!!

[de_roiste]

To be honest, I disagree MiddRed. And there are a couple of points that I think relate to this.

I think Keane was a huge loss to RVN. Before Keane went or whenever he was injured. We never had the presence in midfield to take the ball from defence and orcastrate the play. This also allowed Scholes to get forward and support.

I think Ronaldo has always been to selfish with the ball. Ruud making runs and Ronaldo either losing the ball or his final ball was of no quality. I do not rate this kid and if Real offered me 25-30m in the morning, I would take their arm off.

Rooney is more of a deep lying striker and you can find him anywhere during the game. He is class, no question, but Ruud became alienated on his own up front too often.

I spose what I'm trying to say is that, the reason RVN became a target man is because of the disfunction in midfield. When Ruud first arrived, he wasn't having to hold up the ball and lay it back all the time. He was on the end of crosses, passes and build up play. We controlled midfield.

[MiddRed]

Good point de_roiste but i dont think RVN is the force he once was and neither is the midfield. Beckham Keane Scholes and Giggs was the greatest midfield line up EVER and its a VERY difficult act to follow. It remains to be seen if we could ever be the force we once were thats why i say grab Torres and a couple of YOUNG world class midfielders we'll then have a team for the next 6-8 years who can learn to play together over them years:)

[Loki]

Ruud's still a great player but our style no longer suits him quite so much, nad I've no problem seeing him go. Need a more pacey player making runs

[Red Devil]

Moved from New Members

[Wolfster]

well lets not forget wat RVN did for us eversince he wore a united jersey, so wat if last season wasnt his season, its clearly the midfields issues that got him to such state, nd i think he will do very good in real, i even think he might be the la liga top scorer (i hope so)

[manutdc]

What RVN has done for us is certainly not forgotten - someone with such a great scoring record shouldn't be forgotten. The midfield has issues, yes, but the reason he hasn't scored as much or played as well anymore is because his heart isn't in it, and because our playing style has changed to no longer suit him. He misses Becks's crosses, plain and simple.

[Wolfster]

well i definetly agree to that, the playing style doesn't suit him no more...

[KingSingh]

The question is are we better off without ruud and the answer at least until we get an adequate replacemnt is a resounding NO. Ruud is a much better player than rossi, smith and ole and unless we sign a top class forward we will still not be better off without ruud

[lawrence]

Considering everything I think that RVN gave us his best years. Sad but true,I think he is past his years now. I am not saying this because he joined Real .Last year his attitude was different to previous years.Could be due to our midfield problems. Who knows ?Now we have to look forward . Lawrence

[Ajant]

I loved Ruud, and see it sad for him to go. BUT, let's hope we can recover from this loss(I believe it's quite big) and we'll see what Fergie does. Better without Ruud? maybe not yet, It depends on all players purchased and what positions etc.

[Red Devil]

I agree, Ruud was supreme for a long time. Lets not forget he holds the United goals in Europe Trophy too - its will be some time before that gets broke again; unless Wayne hits top top form.

[SalfordRed]

As far as our best XI is concerned it is a no-brainer. Ruud has been more a hindrance than a help for over two years now. Moreover you can’t underestimate the value in getting his obscenely inflated contract off the books. We’ll be able to pay wages for a Carrick and a younger model Ruud with that cash alone.

What does concern me is Fergie’s noises about not needing a replacement. He is spot on in terms of bodies, but in reality we haven’t got anyone without significant question marks. I wouldn't want to waste big money just to add another question mark to the mix, but I'll certainly be concerned if we don't get a solid reserve in. Apart from the first team and Rossi we've got nothing, basically a great hole all the way down to the academy.

We’ve got the perfect replacement in Smith, but we are incredibly thin. Smith will need time to adjust back to his proper position, Saha has got through just two seasons without at least one substantial layoff, Rossi is lightweight. Ole is done as far as I’m concerned... the loss of pace he was exhibiting three years ago had ended his effectiveness through the middle, and he will only have declined since. With luck he may be able to resume his excellent work on the wing, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. As a striker he has the exact same issues that Ruud had.


We are desperately thin for everything but the best case scenario. If we hadn’t let Ebanks-Blake and Johnson go this summer (on top of Cooper & Bellion during the season) we would at least have had an emergency option, but as it stands we’ve got nothing. Campbell is the nearest, but isn’t remotely close and looks set for Belgium, and for some reason Fergie seems to think Dong could make a difference when he could be eligible to join us at the turn of the year. Seriously Dong has hugely struggled in the Belgian second tier. Sure he has improved a hell of a lot in recent times, but I still wouldn’t fancy his chances of making it as a squad player in the Championship, let alone have a positive impact at EPL level.

[manutdc]

I think it's pretty much guarenteed that we need to get a replacement for Ruud, or at least another striker. Maybe not one to replace Ruud directly and go straight into the first team, but someone who is a very capable backup.

His departure is good for United, since we have stopped playing the way he needs us to play. Problem that arises now is just the fact that we're thin in front.

[KingSingh]

Our striker situation is not that bad considering that scholes and giggs can operate in that second striker role.

[SalfordRed]

That is actually half the problem. We are overloaded with players who can play the second striker role, but how many can actually lead the line effectively? Smith, Saha and.... we haven't even got anyone in the stiffs. This would be an untenable position even if Saha and Smith didn't have their various question marks.

[KingSingh]

The whole point of selling Ruud was so that we could change the way we play. No more 4-5-1 with ruud always having his back to the opposition goal. with carrick and scholes in the middle of the park we are in need of players who can make runs in between defenses not target men.

[Manuxtreme]

He wasnt the player he used to be when he cmae. Dont get me wrong he was still an awesome player and I wished we kept him but he was hardly contributing to the team other than banging in the goals which in todays game aint enough. Hopefully we can keep Saha fit and we will be fine. He is a quality striker and with Rooney we can certainly look forward to a good season. Our midfield was the main problem and with Carrick in now certainly looking a lot better even without Ruud next season.

[SalfordRed]

The whole point of selling Ruud was so that we could change the way we play. No more 4-5-1 with ruud always having his back to the opposition goal.

No, that is just an outcome you are hoping for. The whole point of selling Ruud was he wanted to go, not to mention he was aging and stale. There is no certainty Fergie will make the much needed alteration to our approach.

with carrick and scholes in the middle of the park we are in need of players who can make runs in between defenses not target men

You still need someone able to lead the line. That is one common requirement in any team you care to fashion - not least to provide an outlet ball when you are under the cosh. If you want to players running between the defence you need your lad leading the line to be occupying the defenders & creating the holes in the first place otherwise it rapidly morphs into running at the defence. In your scenario we need a Cole rather than a Ruud leading the line, but we still need the man. Take out both Smith and Saha and we are in trouble. An occasional one off we could get away with, but if we have a sustained period of several games then you can kiss goodbye to the championship for another year. There just isn’t leeway to drop silly points anymore. We have to get at least a reserve in by the end of August or we’ll be dicing with death all autumn.

[manutdc]

I definitely think we need someone else to bolster our striking ranks - as I've said before we only have Rooney who we can really count on. I'd love to see Smith back up front, but for now I'll have to reserve judgment until he's back to full fitness. Saha still has question marks over his fitness if you ask me, and Ole should not be considered a first-team regular right now. Rossi is too lightweight in my opinion, though that can change still.

That basically means we have Rooney and... that's pretty much it. We need someone else as a proper backup at least.

[ImNew2ThisWebsite]

I think we will be better without ruud because he has dune his time scored a good few goals and its time to pass on the torch!!!!!!