[32_Mame_Diouf]

Its being reported on Newsnow.


Albion manager Tony Mowbray has insisted he will keep faith with his goal-shy strikers - as Manchester United's Manucho emerged as a possible January target.
Mowbray insists he will back Ishmael Miller and Roman Bednar, as the duo bid to increase their Premier League strike rate.

But the Baggies boss has made no secret of his desire to add extra firepower in the January transfer window, with United reserve Manucho the latest name to be linked with a loan move to The Hawthorns.

Mowbray watched the 6ft 2in Angolan international in action for United's reserves against Manchester City last week.

While the Baggies boss is always reluctant to confirm the names on his target list, the 25-year-old clearly appeared the most likely target on either team in Manchester's second-string derby.

The striker signed for United last season from the Angolan League but was loaned out to Greek side Panathinaikos, while his work-permit application was processed.

He was subsequently named in the ‘team of the tournament' at this summer's Africa Cup of Nations, after scoring four goals in as many games.

He was given permission to play in England this summer and made his United debut in the Carling Cup against Middlesbrough in September but is yet to figure in the Premier League.

Albion have a shortlist of more than half-a-dozen forwards, with a striker top of Mowbray's January shopping list.

It is also known to contain Real Mallorca's Argentine striker Oscar Trejo, who remains a target after the clubs were unable to strike a deal in August

Yet Mowbray is still pledging to stick with Bednar and Miller, resisting the temptation to throw £3million summer signing Luke Moore into the fray.

The Baggies boss said: “As a manager, the worst thing you can do is bin somebody, because they haven't scored for a game or two, and stick somebody else in.

“Where do you go when he hasn't scored for a game or two? Do you go back to the ones you've just binned?

“You've got to show a bit of loyalty and trust and every day you have to judge the mentality of your players.

“If that mentality is showing you that they've had a enough for a while, want a breather and don't want to be in the firing line, you have to sense that and make changes.

“But if you've got strikers who are desperate to have another opportunity, because they know they've got goals in them and think itâ™s going to come in the next game, then you don't disappoint them.â€

 

[NoxiousD]

Probably best for him

 

[Check the Milkman]

I would like that to happen so he can get first team football and we can see if he will cut at United

 

[Nachito Coronel]

I think it would be a good move, a little prem experience can only do him good imo.

 

[RedForceRising]

I have mixed thoughts on this.

On the surface, it could be a good move for him to get prem experience and prove hit mettle, but that would leave us short, if one of the main strikers got injured.

Then agian, that would give Wellbeck a chance to get into the fold, but I'm not sure of his temperament in big games yet.

If he were to go out on loan, it should be at a team that plays 4-4-2 mostly and not 4-5-1 all the time.

 

[jerrakos]

i think it would be ok if he went.
better for him especially.

 

[manutd43va]

should accept this offer if this is true as it is a good chance for him to gain experience.

 

[trikam patel]

i would like to see him play this season for utd.

 

[martinutd]

As much as I want to see him play an official game for United a loan spell in a prem league club is a good career move, so he can get some experience. I think we have enough attackers in our squad, so if someone injures we can use wellbeck(but only if needed)

 

[sweet fa]

i don't get this at all guys , utd go and get 2 new strikers because we were woefully short in that department manucho is only now getting his fitness back and there is talk about him going out on loan on these pages ?
wouldn't that leave utd short of cover yet again because injuries can spring up from nowhere and it could cost us dearly ,the answer is to finish our opponents off early and get manucho and tevez on the pitch to get them firing and all will be well im sure but these guys need time on the pitch and i for one can't wait to see manucho have a chance in the first team this guy should have fire in his belly and could explode in the premier league on the other hand he could be another djember djember lets find out

 

[christianoharleiro]

completely agree with what RFR said.

But we could always use Ronaldo as a striker if we start to get a bit short upfront.

I'd like to see Manucho starting consistently in the PL, so I'm in favour of him going out on loan.

 

[abojodeh]

is the loan deal done ?

 

[reddwarf]

First team opportunities for the likes of Manucho and Welbeck are bound to be limited so it could depend on whether we are still in the Carling Cup.

Manucho has done ok in the reserves but he needs more competitive and regular football, so I can see why a loan move could be good for him and the club.

If Fergie is worried about being short of strikers then he could always stipulate in the loan agreement that United can call the player back from the loan at any time.

 

[Dazza]

If this happens I think we all know what the future holds for Manucho.

The same as the other guys we sent out on loan to ''get experience''. (Rossi,Piqué and now Campbell.)

 

[stretty]

i would rather keep him a couple of injuries to our stikers and we could be in trouble again.
if we have good cup runs we will need him

 

[Adam]

on the face of it, he obviously has all the physical attributes necessary for success as a top level striker.

in my opinion there are many things holding him back right now.
the first and most obvious is that he's only just returning from injury. the league and the champions league are far too important for us to give him a run out in. although it would be ideal to put him on the bench and stick him on for half an hour if ever we are cruising, the flipside is that if we are down and needing a spark, do we want our substitute striker to be unproven.

secondly, fergie is currently going through a stage where he's not certain of whether he can fit our big 4 into the team, and if he can't then he's also establishing what the most effective team is. It's not really realistic to expect Manucho to be getting much of a look in right now.

I think that his best option is the Carling Cup, as others have suggested. It is also worth noting that in December, we're off to Japan for the World Club Cup. After we come back, we have the typically hectic schedule and I think that Manucho may get his chance when we go away, as Fergie has indicated that he wont be taking a full squad. If not, then I'm sure his chance will come in the games which follow the trip.

If, after this, which will be about mid-January, he hasn't had much opportunity, then perhaps a loan move would be good. The option of a recall at any time sounds good to me. Is that commonplace in loans?

Also, does anyone know how he's been playing in the reserves.

 

[RedForceRising]

secondly, fergie is currently going through a stage where he's not certain of whether he can fit our big 4 into the team, and if he can't then he's also establishing what the most effective team is. It's not really realistic to expect Manucho to be getting much of a look in right now.

I think that his best option is the Carling Cup, as others have suggested. It is also worth noting that in December, we're off to Japan for the World Club Cup. After we come back, we have the typically hectic schedule and I think that Manucho may get his chance when we go away, as Fergie has indicated that he wont be taking a full squad. If not, then I'm sure his chance will come in the games which follow the trip.

If, after this, which will be about mid-January, he hasn't had much opportunity, then perhaps a loan move would be good. The option of a recall at any time sounds good to me. Is that commonplace in loans?

Also, does anyone know how he's been playing in the reserves.

He's been doing well in the reserves, hitting the post, creating a goal for Possebon and forcing keepers into saves, but hasn't scored yet.

I think your assessment is fair and I do hope that he goes with the team to Japan, but he needs more games than just the Carling Cup and a few games after Christmas.

We're in November, so If he were to go out on loan for two months and come back in Jan with several games under his belt it would not be a bad thing.

But, I think the coaches at OT will want to teach Manucho the United way first before he goes anywhere, so a loan move after the busy new year period, like you said, will be more practical.

I know a fair few people were looking forward to seing him before we signed Berbatov and now that interest seems to have died off, but I'm really looking forward to seeing him. He seems so strong and is like the missing ingredient in our attacking line-up.

He's been playing in the reserves, so hopefully we'll get to see him against Hull or QPR.