Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney believes that he needs to be scoring more goals for his side, particularly owing to the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid.
The Portuguese player was a veritable goal-machine for the Red Devils - most notably during his last three seasons at the club, when he found the net no less than 91 times in all competitions.
Thus, Rooney - who scored 'only' 61 goals over the same period - believes that he should work harder to fill the void if United are to win the Premier League for the fourth time in succession.
"I've still got a lot to improve on and a lot to learn," he is quoted in The Sun as saying.
"I can score more goals.
"I need to score more goals, particularly now Ronaldo's gone."
The former Everton forward has seven league goals to his name this season.
Adithya Ananth, Goal.com UK
Blog Traffics
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wayne Rooney Targets More Goals For Manchester United
Nemanja Vidic Set To Return For Manchester United
Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic could be set to return to action for the Premier League champions against Everton this weekend.
The Serbian has been out of action for three weeks with a calf problem.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson discussed the player's fitness with his national team coach, Raddy Antic.
Vidic played 70 minutes of the World Cup warm up game against South Korea at Craven Cottage on Wednesday.
He is now in line to step up his rehabilitation with an appearance against the Toffees on Saturday.
Source: http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/11/18/1632895/nemanja-vidic-set-to-return-for-manchester-united
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Nemanja Vidic Is The Envy Of The Premier League – Sir Bobby Charlton
Sir Bobby Charlton, 71, has added his voice to the growing contingent readily offering commendation to Manchester United centre-back Nemanja Vidic, and has singled out some areas of his game for specific tributes.
The Serbian has begun to accumulate a number of in-house end-of-season awards and remains a front-running candidate to claim further accolades due to his sturdy and consistent season.
"It’s normally the glamour players who get these prizes, but Nemanja deserves this," Charlton explained to the club's official website.
"He has been such an influence. He is the envy of the whole league and he has been a brilliant, brilliant player for us."
Sir Bobby continued by examining the areas of Vidic's game that helps separate the Serbian international from other defenders.
"Nemanja is unbelievable in the air,” Charlton said. “He wins absolutely everything. He is so powerful and brave, and he has a fantastic leap to get above the strikers. And he also comes up for set-pieces and scores goals.
"As a defender he makes the full-backs, the goalkeeper and the midfielders in front of him all feel secure. He is a player you can depend on and put your trust in, and that’s important.
"I like that he doesn’t try to do too much, he sticks to his task of defending, and does that job very well.
"It’s hard for me to imagine that Manchester United would be congratulated and lauded for our defensive capabilities. We’re not supposed to be defensive!
"But alongside Rio Ferdinand or young Jonny Evans, Nemanja has dominated our area this season, and you also have to give credit to Edwin van der Sar and his other colleagues in defence," the World Cup winning striker concluded.
Alan Dawson, Goal.com
Ryan Giggs Omits Cristiano Ronaldo From His Best Manchester United XI
Ryan Giggs, the most decorated player in Premier League history, won an incredible 11th title following Manchester United's goal-less draw with London rivals Arsenal.
While Cristiano Ronaldo's goals have not come as thick and as fast as last year, he has still contributed significantly to the club's challenge on two major fronts during the season run-in but, when Giggs was asked to name his favourite players of the United teams he has featured in, there was no room for the Portuguese international.
His ten outfield were picked with little qualms, but Giggs admits to struggling to select between record-breaking clean-sheet accumulator Edwin van der Sar, and exemplary shot-stopper Peter Schmeichel.
"Peter was one of the best players I played with," Giggs is reported to have told the Daily Mail. "He was a match-winner who would save the game for United because he was such a good goalkeeper.
"Now I play with Edwin. They are both great goalkeepers. It wouldn't matter who played in goal."
The versatile veteran, who has adapted his game from a hard-to-track dribbling left flanker, to a central midfielder, opted to pick the whole of the midfield treble-winning side of 1999, and reserved notable commendation for Paul Scholes.
"He does things I couldn't do. The time he has on the ball, his range of passing and ability to score goals make him probably the best I've ever seen."
Up-front, Giggs decided to nominate French legend Eric Cantona, and powerful English workhorse Wayne Rooney, explaining their place in the history of United thus, "They are players who have come through the system. Players from different countries and background that sums up Manchester United."
Schmeichel/Van der Sar
Neville - Stam - Ferdinand - Irwin
Beckham - Scholes - Keane - Giggs
Cantona - Rooney
Monday, May 18, 2009
Nemanja Vidic Expresses Surprise At Scooping Manchester United Awards
Aside from a blip against Liverpool, Manchester United's Serbian centre-back Nemanja Vidic has been a reliable and consistent component of a defensive line that has been chopped and changed throughout the season due to a host of injuries and suspensions.
The defender, along with Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo, Edwin van der Sar, and Rio Ferdinand, dominated the PFA Player of the Year nominations, but Vidic missed out to versatile veteran midfielder Giggs.
The 27-year-old, though, did scoop the individual in-house end-of-season accolade, and shared his thoughts with MUTV.
He said, "It's a great night for me. It has been a really good year. I am surprised I got it but I have really enjoyed it."
He continued, "To be honest I don't have so many individual awards. That's why I am a bit confused and my speech is not the best. Next time my speech will be a bit better."
Portuguese international Ronaldo claimed United's goal of the season award in recognition of his long-range goal scored against Porto away from home in the Champions League.
Alan Dawson, Goal.com
Manchester United Boss Sir Alex Ferguson Hails Chelsea Star Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard has long been one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League and has even upped his game this season, prompting temporary Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink to claim that he is the "complete box to box midfielder".
His form may have gone un-noticed by his peers - he was controversially snubbed for the PFA Player of the Year awards - yet Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, speaking after leading his side to a record-equalling 18th league title, has declared Lampard to be an "exceptional" footballer.
Ferguson told The Sunday Times, "He is an exceptional player, a huge asset to his team. Every time he plays he goes from box to box and he hardly misses a game.
"You pay attention to players who can get goals from midfield and he’s been averaging 20 goals every season.
"As I say, Frank Lampard is exceptional."
Despite being omitted from certain end-of-season awards, Lampard could find himself as a front-running candidate for goal-of-the-season due to his chipped strike versus Hull City earlier in the season.
Then-manager Luiz Felipe Scolari said at the time that it was one of the greatest goals he had seen.
Alan Dawson, Goal.com
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Ferguson: I Want Carlos Tevez To Stay At Manchester United
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has publicly stated his desire to keep Carlos Tevez at the club, after he fired a crucial goal on the way to the Red Devils’ 2-1 win over Wigan Athletic this evening.
Tevez cancelled out Hugo Rodallega’s first-half opener within four minutes of coming on as a substitute to replace Anderson, before Michael Carrick sealed the comeback with an 87th-minute winner.
And speaking after the match, Ferguson gave the biggest hint yet that the Argentine is wanted at Old Trafford on a permanent basis.
“He [Tevez] is a fantastic little player,” he said to Sky Sports.
“He knows I want him to stay. I’ve had a chat with him today, [chief executive] David Gill has had some meetings with him today and it has progressed.
“We hope we get what we want [an agreement]. I keep saying that the situation has not changed.
“We’re not negotiating with a football club and that is the problem. Carlos himself is OK and the terms he has been offered are good.”
Speaking about the match, which leaves United within a point of a third successive Premier League title, the Scot paid tribute to his team’s second-half display.
Ferguson said, “We were against a very determined Wigan side.
“It was a real tough hurdle today and the team were fantastic in the second half in terms of their determination, not giving in and keeping going until we got a little break and at the end of the day we were the better team in the second half.
“The first thing I said [at half-time] was keep your discipline because the referee was annoying them with a lot of decisions – but you can’t beat the referee.
“Cristiano Ronaldo could have had a hat-trick tonight and we had a lot of chances – I felt he should have also had a penalty.
“We just needed to stay patient.”
Chris Myson, Goal.com