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Ever since the Great Dane Peter Schmeichel signed-off from Old Trafford after a truly epic final year in Manchester, United have never really been all that 'secure' at the back when it comes to 'the man between the sticks'.
Ever since the former Denmark no.1 said goodbye in his perculiar Danish-Mancunian accent a large number of men from all-around Europe have come-in to try and take his place as the regular man under the Crossbar.
But as we've seen during the last 3 years (just like we had expected), there is simply no-one out there in Fergie's eyes who can replace the old Reebok-wearing Pig Farmer himself.
The first man to take 1 as his squad number after Schmeichel was none-other than Mr.Mark 'Bozzie' Bosnic himself. The former Villa keeper and Aussie international had returned for his second spell at Old Trafford, one he hoped would see him take United to the top - just like Schmeichel used to. And it's true, that we did go on to win the Premiership title with Bosnich in-goal, but he just wasn't Schmeichel.
To many football fans he became known-as "Beefcake" rather than 'Bozzie', and then came the critics with their moans and groans for just about every-single game he played-in as he rarely made those superb Schmeichel-esque saves we were looking for in our club's new keeper.
And then there was Massimo Taibi as Van Der Gouw and co. just seemed to slip further and further behind into the Reserves before making one-or-two rare appearences that came with a price of humiliation.
For £4.5m, we were expecting a lot more from this unknown Italian who was in dyer-need of a shave - or two. It wasn't all that long after he'd started that his Old Trafford career 'slipped through his legs' (sorry, :D) as he was soon off and packing his bags for the sun ands sea of Italy again, with nothing but "FAILURE" written all-over-him.
We had faith in him, but we couldn't see what Fergie had ever seen in him!
He was given chance after chance, but it always seemed to go wrong.
And when he gets back to Italy with some under-performing club he starts playing some of the best football of his career!! Typical...
And then came Fabien Barthez - the highly-rated French no.1 - to wave those 'rejects' goodbye and say "Au revoir!" to the past in Schmeichel as we saw this £7.8m to be the REAL answer to United's GoalKeeping 'crisis' - in many people's eyes.
And in his first season, we couldn't have reall been much happier with his contribution, and then came the Premiership Trophy at the end of his first season - and it was all thanks to Barthez's arrival. But no FA Cup, and no European Glory either. So those areas of success still needed work.
And then came the new campaign, one Barthez (and United) will want to forget forever! The team may have finnished the season Trophy-less for only the second time in the last few years, but it was much worse for the 'Fab Man'.... much, MUCH worse! Mistake, after mistake, after... mistake.
The once 'Star Player' of World and European Football was looking like nothing much more than a joke - like the ones relating French People to Frogs.
*RIBBIT*
And it wasn't just one mistake, there were many more to follow, and I mean... MANY. 'Barthez the Clown' became his new name, and there seemed to be not-even one single fan out there who was on his side and ready to support him.
And then we come to this current season, where United have 3 GoalKeepers in the running for first place. Barthez may have been injured for the last few weeks, but it looks like he's still plagued after he was 'megged' by some Israeli striker we've never seen before! United fans live in hope that it will all get better for their no.1
Then came Roy Carrol for £2m from Wigan. United weren't the only top-flight club interested either, but they managed to win him in the race for his signature. And he's barely been a dissapointment either. We were all weary about his lack-of-experience for this 'big games', but it seems he cane cope - and even better than Barthez in some cases. But while the Domestic Compeititions of the English Game may be where he is best-off, he still lacks experience and therefore cannot take-over as United's no.1 in Europe. That's where 'Fabien le man' comes-in. Unless....
Wouldn't you know it... 2 top-class keepers isn't enough for Sir Alex Ferguson's squad, United just have to have one-more. Ricardo is the name, but I doubt you'll have seen this Spaniard play even one game. For less than £2m, you wouldn't expect him to have been 2nd choice for Spain, while the fomer Valladoillid man made his full-international debut against Hungary only recently.
But we don't anything about him, so we cannot as of yet judge him.
All we can say is that we feel we don't need him as Carroll and Barthez are more-than we deserve. But after conceeding on his United debut aganst Maccabi Haifa on Wednesday night it seems he may not end-up too-far behind in the line-up to take the Red Nose and Multicoloured Hair that comes from being United's no.1 in goal.
Bearing all that in-mind you will have realised that Schmeichel is un-replaceable, while you may have noticed that every single one of these men is left-footed - with the exception of Raimond Van Der Gouw who I failed to really mention.
Schmeichel is a right-footer, these are all left... does this say something??
Are left-footed goalkeepers doomed to experience humiliation once they've signed on the dotted-line for Sir Alex Ferguson's men?? That's the way it seems to be for me in the "post-Schmeichel era".
Perhaps Sir Alex Ferguson and his Scouts should be looking at the right-footed keepers for the man to replace the Great Dane??
After all, Germany's Oliver Kahn is right-footed and he's currently regarded as the Number One Keeper in the World - to-date. Especially after he led his side to Champion's League glory during the 2001/02 campaign.
And they only 1-in-10 footballers are left-footed....
Boy, United sure can pick-'em!
Outfield 'lefties' like Giggs and Silvestre seem to do so-well.
Ever since the former Denmark no.1 said goodbye in his perculiar Danish-Mancunian accent a large number of men from all-around Europe have come-in to try and take his place as the regular man under the Crossbar.
But as we've seen during the last 3 years (just like we had expected), there is simply no-one out there in Fergie's eyes who can replace the old Reebok-wearing Pig Farmer himself.
The first man to take 1 as his squad number after Schmeichel was none-other than Mr.Mark 'Bozzie' Bosnic himself. The former Villa keeper and Aussie international had returned for his second spell at Old Trafford, one he hoped would see him take United to the top - just like Schmeichel used to. And it's true, that we did go on to win the Premiership title with Bosnich in-goal, but he just wasn't Schmeichel.
To many football fans he became known-as "Beefcake" rather than 'Bozzie', and then came the critics with their moans and groans for just about every-single game he played-in as he rarely made those superb Schmeichel-esque saves we were looking for in our club's new keeper.
And then there was Massimo Taibi as Van Der Gouw and co. just seemed to slip further and further behind into the Reserves before making one-or-two rare appearences that came with a price of humiliation.
For £4.5m, we were expecting a lot more from this unknown Italian who was in dyer-need of a shave - or two. It wasn't all that long after he'd started that his Old Trafford career 'slipped through his legs' (sorry, :D) as he was soon off and packing his bags for the sun ands sea of Italy again, with nothing but "FAILURE" written all-over-him.
We had faith in him, but we couldn't see what Fergie had ever seen in him!
He was given chance after chance, but it always seemed to go wrong.
And when he gets back to Italy with some under-performing club he starts playing some of the best football of his career!! Typical...
And then came Fabien Barthez - the highly-rated French no.1 - to wave those 'rejects' goodbye and say "Au revoir!" to the past in Schmeichel as we saw this £7.8m to be the REAL answer to United's GoalKeeping 'crisis' - in many people's eyes.
And in his first season, we couldn't have reall been much happier with his contribution, and then came the Premiership Trophy at the end of his first season - and it was all thanks to Barthez's arrival. But no FA Cup, and no European Glory either. So those areas of success still needed work.
And then came the new campaign, one Barthez (and United) will want to forget forever! The team may have finnished the season Trophy-less for only the second time in the last few years, but it was much worse for the 'Fab Man'.... much, MUCH worse! Mistake, after mistake, after... mistake.
The once 'Star Player' of World and European Football was looking like nothing much more than a joke - like the ones relating French People to Frogs.
*RIBBIT*
And it wasn't just one mistake, there were many more to follow, and I mean... MANY. 'Barthez the Clown' became his new name, and there seemed to be not-even one single fan out there who was on his side and ready to support him.
And then we come to this current season, where United have 3 GoalKeepers in the running for first place. Barthez may have been injured for the last few weeks, but it looks like he's still plagued after he was 'megged' by some Israeli striker we've never seen before! United fans live in hope that it will all get better for their no.1
Then came Roy Carrol for £2m from Wigan. United weren't the only top-flight club interested either, but they managed to win him in the race for his signature. And he's barely been a dissapointment either. We were all weary about his lack-of-experience for this 'big games', but it seems he cane cope - and even better than Barthez in some cases. But while the Domestic Compeititions of the English Game may be where he is best-off, he still lacks experience and therefore cannot take-over as United's no.1 in Europe. That's where 'Fabien le man' comes-in. Unless....
Wouldn't you know it... 2 top-class keepers isn't enough for Sir Alex Ferguson's squad, United just have to have one-more. Ricardo is the name, but I doubt you'll have seen this Spaniard play even one game. For less than £2m, you wouldn't expect him to have been 2nd choice for Spain, while the fomer Valladoillid man made his full-international debut against Hungary only recently.
But we don't anything about him, so we cannot as of yet judge him.
All we can say is that we feel we don't need him as Carroll and Barthez are more-than we deserve. But after conceeding on his United debut aganst Maccabi Haifa on Wednesday night it seems he may not end-up too-far behind in the line-up to take the Red Nose and Multicoloured Hair that comes from being United's no.1 in goal.
Bearing all that in-mind you will have realised that Schmeichel is un-replaceable, while you may have noticed that every single one of these men is left-footed - with the exception of Raimond Van Der Gouw who I failed to really mention.
Schmeichel is a right-footer, these are all left... does this say something??
Are left-footed goalkeepers doomed to experience humiliation once they've signed on the dotted-line for Sir Alex Ferguson's men?? That's the way it seems to be for me in the "post-Schmeichel era".
Perhaps Sir Alex Ferguson and his Scouts should be looking at the right-footed keepers for the man to replace the Great Dane??
After all, Germany's Oliver Kahn is right-footed and he's currently regarded as the Number One Keeper in the World - to-date. Especially after he led his side to Champion's League glory during the 2001/02 campaign.
And they only 1-in-10 footballers are left-footed....
Boy, United sure can pick-'em!
Outfield 'lefties' like Giggs and Silvestre seem to do so-well.
Er... I didn't actually SAY 'We must buy Kahn to replace Barthez!!'.
Why, I could think of at least another 5 keepers or-so who I think would make much better choices for the no.1 shirt, if it did become vacant - which it will not!
What I am saying here is that it's a conspiracy (or something...) that all of United's Flops in-Goal have been left-footed. While all of the better names (like Schmeichel) and the World's Best to-date, are right-footed.
Don't you agree that this is very strange??
But by no means can it be classed as a reason for our defensive frailties!
Why, I could think of at least another 5 keepers or-so who I think would make much better choices for the no.1 shirt, if it did become vacant - which it will not!
What I am saying here is that it's a conspiracy (or something...) that all of United's Flops in-Goal have been left-footed. While all of the better names (like Schmeichel) and the World's Best to-date, are right-footed.
Don't you agree that this is very strange??
But by no means can it be classed as a reason for our defensive frailties!
Well I hardly think the answer lies in the wrinkled hands of 74-year old Oliver '5:1' Kahn, he's too busy collecting his pension and queueing for bus passes.
The first thing you have to remember is that though we may put new keepers in between the sticks, we will never replace Schmeichel, nor will we replace Cantona, Hughes, Robson, Keane or any of the other greats. You can only hope that other players in the same position come to lend their own charm to the position, so you'll never see a replacement for The Pig Farmer at United.
I like all the keepers at United at the moment, all very different, but Barthez, though fallible at times, has great charisma and ability. I think he will ultimately do very well for United this season, he's a talented keeper and a good person for the defenders to look towards in the dressing-room and say, "well, at least Fab's playing"- not to the extent that in Peter they saw a wall, a loud, in yer face, man mountain. But lets give Fab a chance.
The first thing you have to remember is that though we may put new keepers in between the sticks, we will never replace Schmeichel, nor will we replace Cantona, Hughes, Robson, Keane or any of the other greats. You can only hope that other players in the same position come to lend their own charm to the position, so you'll never see a replacement for The Pig Farmer at United.
I like all the keepers at United at the moment, all very different, but Barthez, though fallible at times, has great charisma and ability. I think he will ultimately do very well for United this season, he's a talented keeper and a good person for the defenders to look towards in the dressing-room and say, "well, at least Fab's playing"- not to the extent that in Peter they saw a wall, a loud, in yer face, man mountain. But lets give Fab a chance.
But isn't it a bizzare coincidence that all these 'flops' who have tried to replace Schmeichel (and the others) have all been left-footed??
That's the point i'm trying to make - it's a conspiracy!
But I think all Barthez needs is a confidence booster.
That's something he's been lacking for absolutely ages!
Remember when he first arrived, he was willing to put the ball through ANY strikers' legs as he was full of confidence.
But I don't recall seeing him do that once last season - and that, to me, shows that he's lacking confidence and belief in himself.
And the fans have been doing naff-all to help him either!
While Forlan and Ricardo are getting Standing Ovations every-time they stepped onto the Old Trafford turf, Barthez gets nothing but bad remarks in the papers - and they aren't gonna help him.
We should be more supportive over the World Class Keeper we all KNOW he is. If we can support someone like Forlan who we've never seen before then why can't we do the same for someone we know can do the job better than anyone else??
Otherwise we may lose him to some other European club who could go-on to win the Champions' League instead of us!
That's the point i'm trying to make - it's a conspiracy!
But I think all Barthez needs is a confidence booster.
That's something he's been lacking for absolutely ages!
Remember when he first arrived, he was willing to put the ball through ANY strikers' legs as he was full of confidence.
But I don't recall seeing him do that once last season - and that, to me, shows that he's lacking confidence and belief in himself.
And the fans have been doing naff-all to help him either!
While Forlan and Ricardo are getting Standing Ovations every-time they stepped onto the Old Trafford turf, Barthez gets nothing but bad remarks in the papers - and they aren't gonna help him.
We should be more supportive over the World Class Keeper we all KNOW he is. If we can support someone like Forlan who we've never seen before then why can't we do the same for someone we know can do the job better than anyone else??
Otherwise we may lose him to some other European club who could go-on to win the Champions' League instead of us!
It's not just to do with the fact that Barthez is left footed, he's a charlie and he's ok but nothing special, he's also a liability, look against the Maccabi Haifa, he left the ball go through his legs, and last season many of his goal blunders were down to blunders by coming out or mix up with defenders, I think its time to get rid of him and give Ricardo a chance. We dont know much about him but he's meant to have impressed in the reserves and in Training.
Ever since the Great Dane Peter Schmeichel signed-off from Old Trafford after a truly epic final year in Manchester, United have never really been all that 'secure' at the back when it comes to 'the man between the sticks'.
Ever since the former Denmark no.1 said goodbye in his perculiar Danish-Mancunian accent a large number of men from all-around Europe have come-in to try and take his place as the regular man under the Crossbar.
But as we've seen during the last 3 years (just like we had expected), there is simply no-one out there in Fergie's eyes who can replace the old Reebok-wearing Pig Farmer himself.
The first man to take 1 as his squad number after Schmeichel was none-other than Mr.Mark 'Bozzie' Bosnic himself. The former Villa keeper and Aussie international had returned for his second spell at Old Trafford, one he hoped would see him take United to the top - just like Schmeichel used to. And it's true, that we did go on to win the Premiership title with Bosnich in-goal, but he just wasn't Schmeichel.
To many football fans he became known-as "Beefcake" rather than 'Bozzie', and then came the critics with their moans and groans for just about every-single game he played-in as he rarely made those superb Schmeichel-esque saves we were looking for in our club's new keeper.
And then there was Massimo Taibi as Van Der Gouw and co. just seemed to slip further and further behind into the Reserves before making one-or-two rare appearences that came with a price of humiliation.
For £4.5m, we were expecting a lot more from this unknown Italian who was in dyer-need of a shave - or two. It wasn't all that long after he'd started that his Old Trafford career 'slipped through his legs' (sorry, :D) as he was soon off and packing his bags for the sun ands sea of Italy again, with nothing but "FAILURE" written all-over-him.
We had faith in him, but we couldn't see what Fergie had ever seen in him!
He was given chance after chance, but it always seemed to go wrong.
And when he gets back to Italy with some under-performing club he starts playing some of the best football of his career!! Typical...
And then came Fabien Barthez - the highly-rated French no.1 - to wave those 'rejects' goodbye and say "Au revoir!" to the past in Schmeichel as we saw this £7.8m to be the REAL answer to United's GoalKeeping 'crisis' - in many people's eyes.
And in his first season, we couldn't have reall been much happier with his contribution, and then came the Premiership Trophy at the end of his first season - and it was all thanks to Barthez's arrival. But no FA Cup, and no European Glory either. So those areas of success still needed work.
And then came the new campaign, one Barthez (and United) will want to forget forever! The team may have finnished the season Trophy-less for only the second time in the last few years, but it was much worse for the 'Fab Man'.... much, MUCH worse! Mistake, after mistake, after... mistake.
The once 'Star Player' of World and European Football was looking like nothing much more than a joke - like the ones relating French People to Frogs.
*RIBBIT*
And it wasn't just one mistake, there were many more to follow, and I mean... MANY. 'Barthez the Clown' became his new name, and there seemed to be not-even one single fan out there who was on his side and ready to support him.
And then we come to this current season, where United have 3 GoalKeepers in the running for first place. Barthez may have been injured for the last few weeks, but it looks like he's still plagued after he was 'megged' by some Israeli striker we've never seen before! United fans live in hope that it will all get better for their no.1
Then came Roy Carrol for £2m from Wigan. United weren't the only top-flight club interested either, but they managed to win him in the race for his signature. And he's barely been a dissapointment either. We were all weary about his lack-of-experience for this 'big games', but it seems he cane cope - and even better than Barthez in some cases. But while the Domestic Compeititions of the English Game may be where he is best-off, he still lacks experience and therefore cannot take-over as United's no.1 in Europe. That's where 'Fabien le man' comes-in. Unless....
Wouldn't you know it... 2 top-class keepers isn't enough for Sir Alex Ferguson's squad, United just have to have one-more. Ricardo is the name, but I doubt you'll have seen this Spaniard play even one game. For less than £2m, you wouldn't expect him to have been 2nd choice for Spain, while the fomer Valladoillid man made his full-international debut against Hungary only recently.
But we don't anything about him, so we cannot as of yet judge him.
All we can say is that we feel we don't need him as Carroll and Barthez are more-than we deserve. But after conceeding on his United debut aganst Maccabi Haifa on Wednesday night it seems he may not end-up too-far behind in the line-up to take the Red Nose and Multicoloured Hair that comes from being United's no.1 in goal.
Bearing all that in-mind you will have realised that Schmeichel is un-replaceable, while you may have noticed that every single one of these men is left-footed - with the exception of Raimond Van Der Gouw who I failed to really mention.
Schmeichel is a right-footer, these are all left... does this say something??
Are left-footed goalkeepers doomed to experience humiliation once they've signed on the dotted-line for Sir Alex Ferguson's men?? That's the way it seems to be for me in the "post-Schmeichel era".
Perhaps Sir Alex Ferguson and his Scouts should be looking at the right-footed keepers for the man to replace the Great Dane??
After all, Germany's Oliver Kahn is right-footed and he's currently regarded as the Number One Keeper in the World - to-date. Especially after he led his side to Champion's League glory during the 2001/02 campaign.
And they only 1-in-10 footballers are left-footed....
Boy, United sure can pick-'em!
Outfield 'lefties' like Giggs and Silvestre seem to do so-well.
Ever since the former Denmark no.1 said goodbye in his perculiar Danish-Mancunian accent a large number of men from all-around Europe have come-in to try and take his place as the regular man under the Crossbar.
But as we've seen during the last 3 years (just like we had expected), there is simply no-one out there in Fergie's eyes who can replace the old Reebok-wearing Pig Farmer himself.
The first man to take 1 as his squad number after Schmeichel was none-other than Mr.Mark 'Bozzie' Bosnic himself. The former Villa keeper and Aussie international had returned for his second spell at Old Trafford, one he hoped would see him take United to the top - just like Schmeichel used to. And it's true, that we did go on to win the Premiership title with Bosnich in-goal, but he just wasn't Schmeichel.
To many football fans he became known-as "Beefcake" rather than 'Bozzie', and then came the critics with their moans and groans for just about every-single game he played-in as he rarely made those superb Schmeichel-esque saves we were looking for in our club's new keeper.
And then there was Massimo Taibi as Van Der Gouw and co. just seemed to slip further and further behind into the Reserves before making one-or-two rare appearences that came with a price of humiliation.
For £4.5m, we were expecting a lot more from this unknown Italian who was in dyer-need of a shave - or two. It wasn't all that long after he'd started that his Old Trafford career 'slipped through his legs' (sorry, :D) as he was soon off and packing his bags for the sun ands sea of Italy again, with nothing but "FAILURE" written all-over-him.
We had faith in him, but we couldn't see what Fergie had ever seen in him!
He was given chance after chance, but it always seemed to go wrong.
And when he gets back to Italy with some under-performing club he starts playing some of the best football of his career!! Typical...
And then came Fabien Barthez - the highly-rated French no.1 - to wave those 'rejects' goodbye and say "Au revoir!" to the past in Schmeichel as we saw this £7.8m to be the REAL answer to United's GoalKeeping 'crisis' - in many people's eyes.
And in his first season, we couldn't have reall been much happier with his contribution, and then came the Premiership Trophy at the end of his first season - and it was all thanks to Barthez's arrival. But no FA Cup, and no European Glory either. So those areas of success still needed work.
And then came the new campaign, one Barthez (and United) will want to forget forever! The team may have finnished the season Trophy-less for only the second time in the last few years, but it was much worse for the 'Fab Man'.... much, MUCH worse! Mistake, after mistake, after... mistake.
The once 'Star Player' of World and European Football was looking like nothing much more than a joke - like the ones relating French People to Frogs.
*RIBBIT*
And it wasn't just one mistake, there were many more to follow, and I mean... MANY. 'Barthez the Clown' became his new name, and there seemed to be not-even one single fan out there who was on his side and ready to support him.
And then we come to this current season, where United have 3 GoalKeepers in the running for first place. Barthez may have been injured for the last few weeks, but it looks like he's still plagued after he was 'megged' by some Israeli striker we've never seen before! United fans live in hope that it will all get better for their no.1
Then came Roy Carrol for £2m from Wigan. United weren't the only top-flight club interested either, but they managed to win him in the race for his signature. And he's barely been a dissapointment either. We were all weary about his lack-of-experience for this 'big games', but it seems he cane cope - and even better than Barthez in some cases. But while the Domestic Compeititions of the English Game may be where he is best-off, he still lacks experience and therefore cannot take-over as United's no.1 in Europe. That's where 'Fabien le man' comes-in. Unless....
Wouldn't you know it... 2 top-class keepers isn't enough for Sir Alex Ferguson's squad, United just have to have one-more. Ricardo is the name, but I doubt you'll have seen this Spaniard play even one game. For less than £2m, you wouldn't expect him to have been 2nd choice for Spain, while the fomer Valladoillid man made his full-international debut against Hungary only recently.
But we don't anything about him, so we cannot as of yet judge him.
All we can say is that we feel we don't need him as Carroll and Barthez are more-than we deserve. But after conceeding on his United debut aganst Maccabi Haifa on Wednesday night it seems he may not end-up too-far behind in the line-up to take the Red Nose and Multicoloured Hair that comes from being United's no.1 in goal.
Bearing all that in-mind you will have realised that Schmeichel is un-replaceable, while you may have noticed that every single one of these men is left-footed - with the exception of Raimond Van Der Gouw who I failed to really mention.
Schmeichel is a right-footer, these are all left... does this say something??
Are left-footed goalkeepers doomed to experience humiliation once they've signed on the dotted-line for Sir Alex Ferguson's men?? That's the way it seems to be for me in the "post-Schmeichel era".
Perhaps Sir Alex Ferguson and his Scouts should be looking at the right-footed keepers for the man to replace the Great Dane??
After all, Germany's Oliver Kahn is right-footed and he's currently regarded as the Number One Keeper in the World - to-date. Especially after he led his side to Champion's League glory during the 2001/02 campaign.
And they only 1-in-10 footballers are left-footed....
Boy, United sure can pick-'em!
Outfield 'lefties' like Giggs and Silvestre seem to do so-well.