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In his first season at Old Trafford he helped United to help themselves to the Premiership, once again, as the new Schmeichel. He may have also had more than his fair-share of 'off days' compared to the average Goalkeeper but he certainly hasn't lost his touch for keeping the ball out of the back of the net.
The 'Fab Man' is currently out injured for a few more weeks or so with a hip injury that disables his from being able to dive and save the ball well and easily. Who knows, it could even be another month or two before the so-called 'Calamity Barthez' returns in the no.1 jersey between the sticks.
After the summer sale of aeging Dutchman Raimond van der Gouw to West Ham, with Nick Culkin and Paul Rachubka also gone before they could say "Hello" to the Premiership, United are left with only 1 keeper keeper with any real experience in Roy Carroll. And if he's not playing, then it's time for the young teenage prodigy Ben Williams to dive into the deep end with Henry ready to pounce!
There has been talk of United loaning-in a new keeper as a temporary back-up for Barthez, but with Carroll fit and raring to go, I honestly don't see why we should've been battling with Arsenal for the signature of Uruguay's Carini, or even someone like Rustu, Turkey's World Cup star.
We're fine as we are, with or without Barthez. We have Carroll!
After signing from Second Division Wigan for a mere £2m (raising to around £2.5m) it seems that this has to be one of the greatest Bargain Signings United have made in their entire history spanning near-to around 120 years.
This Summer Signing of 2001 must go right up-there with the likes of Cantona when he joined from Leeds for just over a million, Schmeichel's £hundred-thousand move from Denmark, and even Van Nistelrooy's £19.5m that finally took-place at the same time.
He may not have helped us achieve silverware in any shape or form as of yet, and his first season at Old Trafford may have turned-out to be something of a 'disaster' rather than the 'life at the top' he was expecting. But give it time, and we will win something. And then the rest will follow, so much silver that the visting will get blinded!
Barthez may still remain no.1 between the sticks, despite some regular critisism, but Fergie and all United fans world-wide should now feel that extra bit secure when the Fab Man is back on the Treatment Table again, as Northern Ireland international Roy Carroll has really begun to show us all that he can mix-'n'-match against the big boys, and that he may also be the one to take-over in goal when the Barthez finally hangs-up his gloves!
Fergie must have known there was something special about this lad when he first saw him play at the JJB Stadium when he first he broke into the Wigan first team. The temptation of playing at the Theatre of Dreams for United, in the Premiership and Champions' League alone was too-strong a temptation for Carroll who ignored the rest, and chose the best. And he's certainly proven in such a short space of time that he can BE the best, and stop the rest.
Ok that's enough rhyming from me... he wouldn't be Northern Ireland's first-choice keeper for nothing!
But how secure can Barthez place really be with a youngster like this??
He's still got so many years ahead of him to develop too....
In his first season at Old Trafford he helped United to help themselves to the Premiership, once again, as the new Schmeichel. He may have also had more than his fair-share of 'off days' compared to the average Goalkeeper but he certainly hasn't lost his touch for keeping the ball out of the back of the net.
The 'Fab Man' is currently out injured for a few more weeks or so with a hip injury that disables his from being able to dive and save the ball well and easily. Who knows, it could even be another month or two before the so-called 'Calamity Barthez' returns in the no.1 jersey between the sticks.
After the summer sale of aeging Dutchman Raimond van der Gouw to West Ham, with Nick Culkin and Paul Rachubka also gone before they could say "Hello" to the Premiership, United are left with only 1 keeper keeper with any real experience in Roy Carroll. And if he's not playing, then it's time for the young teenage prodigy Ben Williams to dive into the deep end with Henry ready to pounce!
There has been talk of United loaning-in a new keeper as a temporary back-up for Barthez, but with Carroll fit and raring to go, I honestly don't see why we should've been battling with Arsenal for the signature of Uruguay's Carini, or even someone like Rustu, Turkey's World Cup star.
We're fine as we are, with or without Barthez. We have Carroll!
After signing from Second Division Wigan for a mere £2m (raising to around £2.5m) it seems that this has to be one of the greatest Bargain Signings United have made in their entire history spanning near-to around 120 years.
This Summer Signing of 2001 must go right up-there with the likes of Cantona when he joined from Leeds for just over a million, Schmeichel's £hundred-thousand move from Denmark, and even Van Nistelrooy's £19.5m that finally took-place at the same time.
He may not have helped us achieve silverware in any shape or form as of yet, and his first season at Old Trafford may have turned-out to be something of a 'disaster' rather than the 'life at the top' he was expecting. But give it time, and we will win something. And then the rest will follow, so much silver that the visting will get blinded!
Barthez may still remain no.1 between the sticks, despite some regular critisism, but Fergie and all United fans world-wide should now feel that extra bit secure when the Fab Man is back on the Treatment Table again, as Northern Ireland international Roy Carroll has really begun to show us all that he can mix-'n'-match against the big boys, and that he may also be the one to take-over in goal when the Barthez finally hangs-up his gloves!
Fergie must have known there was something special about this lad when he first saw him play at the JJB Stadium when he first he broke into the Wigan first team. The temptation of playing at the Theatre of Dreams for United, in the Premiership and Champions' League alone was too-strong a temptation for Carroll who ignored the rest, and chose the best. And he's certainly proven in such a short space of time that he can BE the best, and stop the rest.
Ok that's enough rhyming from me... he wouldn't be Northern Ireland's first-choice keeper for nothing!
But how secure can Barthez place really be with a youngster like this??
He's still got so many years ahead of him to develop too....
He proved he was just as able to cope with life at the top with the appearences he made last season, his first at United.
I remember the Villa game at Villa Park as the game that really made us stand-up and take note of this 'cheap, back-up' player.
I never really saw him play for Wigan though.
But whatever he did there must have been good. Otherwise he'd had never become a Northern Ireland international so soon in his career!
Barthez still has his uses at Old Trafford, for one thing he can help Carroll develop by teaching him all he knows, and how to adjust to coping under the pressure of a massive Champions' League Semi Final.
Nothing negative's gunna help Barthez get back to his best.
Look at all the good praise Carroll is getting, this can only be a good thing for him.
>
> Barthez still has his uses at Old Trafford, for one thing he can help
> Carroll develop by teaching him all he knows,
thats what i am worried about. he has never been good you just can't really fail to keep clean sheets when your defence is:
Thuram
Lizarazu
Desailly
Blanc & lebeouf (when they were good)
And then patrick viera sheilding the defence!
He is not upo scratch!
I watched the Chelsea match as well and he made no effort for the Zenden shot and his distribution of the ball by throwing it is appaling.