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He's been around for a good-10-years now, ever since the Premiership first began back in '92. He's grown up with the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers throughout the United ranks to emerge ontop as a left-footed attack-minded player unlike any-other British Football has seen before. Look at all he's done for us over the years... Look at how he has single-handedly inspired and lead our attack towards-goal, twisting and turning past every-last-man that came near him.... Remember that incredible goal on that unforgettable night at Villa Park when we came one-step-closer to `Part 2` of `The Treble` with that individual solo-effort against Arsenal late-on in the Semi-Final Replay....
That is quite simply: "Ryan Giggs".
So, why then are a number of United fans with their prawn sandwhiches in-hand moaning and groaning about our ever-present, home-grown `star` when all that we see now is a little lack of speed with the ball at his feet?
Is it plainly because of this, or is it because he's Welsh (and you know what that means!)? Or does it have something to do with those `fishy accquisitions` made by SkySports' Soccer AM team that have since been proven as untrue?
Nope. They're just unhappy because he isn't the same old `does it all himself` player he used to be! But that is no reason to give an ageing Welshman the worst time of his life after over 10 years of unbeatable serivce and commitment!
I thought it was bad-enough a few years back when Roy Keane got caught up in a war-of-words with them all, but this is just plain rediculous!
If Ryan Giggs had chosen to stay over in Wales and not move to Manchester to join-up with Sir Alex Ferguson then the last-10-years would've been very-different...
For a start, we'd have never obtained `The Treble` without his inspiration, hard-work and solo-efforts that literally carryed the other players through the process, round-by-round. "THAT" FA Cup goal is a prime example of this for a start, but to have played like that for an entire 10-month-campaign just goes to show you he is `something else`, and not just another John Hartson or Robbie Savage.
Could we have managed to complete 2 Premiership and FA Cup `Doubles` before that without the flamboyant Welshman and his array of trickery and unpredictable manouvering?? Whose to say we woud've even held-off the likes of Newcastle, Liverpool and Arsenal for a record number of Premier League titles, time-after-time, and again, without him?! So what if we had Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel and Steve Bruce in our side alltogether at one point... They're nothing compared to Ryan Giggs!
"Giggsy" is only one in a small group of United players (from past and present) who has never really been this deeply critisized and moned at before, and there's one-good-reason for that too... He's never deserved the critisism before that so-many-other players seem to get on a regular basis!
His hard-work has really payed-off after all these years, and his regular `above-par` performances really helped to keep United a threatening and dominat force throughout Europe, and in the Premiership.
But now things seemed to have changed. For one reason or another, he isn't as quick-of-the-mark as he used to be, and therefore he is now lacking in his dribbling, which has been undoubtabley the biggest part of his game for the last 10 years. Many explanations as to why this has happened have been thrown-up, but that doesn't neccesarily mean anything can be done about this. Giggsy's changed, Giggsy's.... "damaged"!
He may be damaged but I do not believe he is "broken" like a toy that can never be repaired. Like all good players when a problem emerges, he will have to find a way around this, and to discover some of his other aspects and qualities that could really help to bring him back-to-life and give us that little-extra Ruud van Nistelrooy and co. are currently lacking in support, upfront.
All players go through bad patches in their career, and I think that this is how we should treat this situation. It's part of being a Proffesional Footballer, you know, and these out-spoken fans need to shutup and realise why all us other United fans (living on chips, crisps and pints of beer) are still behind him 100%.
He will get through this, even is he never regains his unique pace and speed on-the-ball. And you never know what he could do for us next once he's past this bit; how many `Trebles` we could win...!
If you're having doubts over Ryan Giggs' future then fear-no-more!
Just like all great names to have graced the beautifull game, he will get through this! After all, George Best is still alive, isn't he?!
Give him the time and support he needs, and we'll soon see a new side to the Welsh Wizard with a-million-and-one tricks hidden in his Reebok boots.
We were patient with Diego Forlan when he first-arrived, and look at him now - scoring goals against Liverpool and Chelsea in the games that really matter!
There's only one Ryan Giggs, and that will never change.
Don't force him out to Italy or Spain, you'll only regret it in the long-run when he comes back to haunt us in the latter-stages of the Champions' League!
"Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs, running down the wing...."
OK, so Scholes has done quite well there. But with only Veron, Keane and Beckham in the midfield (excluding Giggs), we don't have quite the most-defensively-secure midfield in the Premiership, do we.
Scholes may be good on the attack, but I think we will need his determination and hard-work in the midfield when it comes to those big-games against the likes of Arsenal.
And Ryan Giggs definitley ISN'T a defensive player!
Giggs may not be as fast as he used to be, but he's still got a good technique and footwork on the ball, and with his 10-year midfield and goal-scoring experience he could be just the type of player Ruud needs.
I've been playing him upfront with Ruud in FIFA 2003 lately, and he's scoring a hat-trick almost-every-game!
OK, I know it's only a game.... But he's keeping Patrick Kluivert on the
bench!!
I honestly think he could do a good job of it!
> I think the final stats on Sky Sports showed a 60-40 possession split
> in United's favour. Which personally, I found a little unbelievable.
I somehow doubt that they were watching the same match!
> And how often did the Hammers *actually* have the ball?
I think the final stats on Sky Sports showed a 60-40 possession split in United's favour. Which personally, I found a little unbelievable.
> He didn't *actually* do all that much though. There weren't many runs
> down the wing, and even fewer crosses. He didn't do much towards the
> center of the pitch either, for that matter - maybe one decent
> challenge and a few linking passes.
One decent challenge. And how often did the Hammers *actually* have the ball? One challenge was probably enough to have been a 10% ratio of knocking them out of possession.
> As for the two goals he scored, for the first one he was 8 yeards out
> with enough time paint the golden gate bridge before shooting, and for
> the second it was only a lucky deflection that caused it to go in.
Well, it's composure as well. The first goal went past about 4 players before going in, and the second was on target to go in, but the deflection just did the job of confusing James, which admittedly isn't hard.
As for the two goals he scored, for the first one he was 8 yeards out with enough time paint the golden gate bridge before shooting, and for the second it was only a lucky deflection that caused it to go in.
Don't get me wrong, I'm normally a big fan of Giggs - I've haven't moaned about his performances once this season. However, I've seen him play a lot better than he did today.
I'm not saying he didn't do well today, because he did do quite well. Not well enough to silence any critics though. He was solid, but not outstanding.
> OK so
> we dont have the strength in depth that say england have
England have strength in depth?
Presumably you're not including goalkeepers, strikers or left/right backs when you say that?
PS: Very amusing Wookiee, even if a overly harsh and unwarranted criticism of one of the best wingers in the premiership :)
> "Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs, running down the wing...."
"Hurry up you donkey, and cross the f**king thing!"