Hargreaves sidelined for tour

July 26, 2007

INJURY NIGGLE: Owen Hargreaves

SIR Alex Ferguson has confirmed Owen Hargreaves will play no part in Manchester United's Far East tour.

The Red Devils are due to complete their four-match trip against Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals on Friday after flying into China.

So far, Hargreaves, an £18million summer signing from Bayern Munich, has not managed to join in a full training session because of tendinitis in his knee.

As long as a week ago, Ferguson expressed doubt as to whether the 26-year-old England international would feature on tour - and now the Scot has confirmed he will definitely miss out.

"Hargreaves won't be playing at all on the tour," said Ferguson.

"It's just tendinitis. It's becoming an irritant rather than a big problem.

"It's something we're going to have to do something about - not an operation, but we may have to give him an injection at some time."

While Hargreaves is still unsure exactly when he will be able to play, there was better news about Paul Scholes - who was forced to fly home for tests on a knee injury he picked up in last week's win over FC Seoul.

The former England star has now received a more precise diagnosis, with Ferguson confirming Scholes will be missing for three weeks - a timescale which rules him out of the Premier League champions' opening games against Reading and Portsmouth but should leave him free for the Manchester derby at Eastlands on August 19.

How do you see United's midfield lining up on the first day of the season? Have your say.

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Birdy, Ireland (26/07/2007 at 09:12)

I think this depends a lot on the Tevez situation. If we have Tevez at that stage then it will be too tough to call i think. I don think we will have Tevez by then however, so i think its gonna be pretty straightforward. Carrick and OH, with Giggs, Scholes and Ronaldo in front, and Rooney up top. Its anyones guess when Anderson and Nani will be deemed ready for a start, but i wouldnt be at all surprised to see them come off the bench in that first game. I'm guessing SAF will be like a kid with new toys, new 17m toys, and just like when we bought Ronaldo he's not gonna want to wait too long before having a look at what he's bought

Birdy, Ireland (26/07/2007 at 09:14)

Ok so just remembered Scholes is out of the first game! D'oh! In such case, Anderson is gonna get a start in Scholes place

Mick, Dublin (26/07/2007 at 09:43)

This is gonna kick off a row and no mistake but here goes...

There's not a hope in hell of Anderson starting the first game of the season. We will start with Carrick and Fletcher in central midfield. If Fergie sees the need to stick another man in there, he will sit John O'Shea in front of the back four.

You heard it here first, now let the Fletcher/O'Shea bashing begin...

Balders, Tier 2 Stretford (26/07/2007 at 09:47)

we've heard it before !! "OH won't make first game & operation is deemed necessary" !

It makes you wonder what's happening with the utd medical staff when you consider how long it took GazN & Saha to finally have ops last season !!

Mick, Dublin (26/07/2007 at 09:49)

Actually, I was assuming that OH won't be fit. D'oh!

Swap Hargreaves name for John O'Shea and my original comment still stands.

I see Hargreaves as a purely defensive midfielder who will only get games when we play 3 in central midfield. Passing the ball is not, and never has been, his strength. The much-maligned Darren Fletcher offers a lot more going forward and will get the nod over OH if we're playing 4-4-2 and Scholes or Carrick is out.

The amount of games OH plays will depend on the amount of times we play 4-4-2 (or 4-4-1-1, whatever), a formation I think Fergie will continue to use against teams we would expect to beat.

I'll admit I'm being a bit controversial here but that's the way I see it.

Lee , Heywood, Heywood (26/07/2007 at 10:21)

Mick I cant wait for you to see OH play. You have a major suprise coming.

bobbydazzler (26/07/2007 at 10:28)

oh what a start not played a game and already ready for the operating table, methinks somebody needs a kick up the backside

bobbydazzler (26/07/2007 at 10:29)

mick we may get away with it against reading, but city and pompey will ensure we have allsorts of problems with the dynamic duo in midfield. i really really thought i had seen the back of this pair in our engine room.

Steve, Glossop (26/07/2007 at 10:55)

Some people are literally taking the Mick here & unfairly on this occasion ridiculing Alex's purchase of OH. So after 5yrs of not getting CM right Fletch should basically get the nod over OH that really is unbelievable. When he's fit OH is in ahead of Carrick for me with Giggs starting.

chris, oxford (26/07/2007 at 10:55)

Mick can you really see OH only starting a dozen games at most then?

No chance, he will play most games alongside MC and PS IMO, when fit of course, because I really cant believe a) he would have joined us to spend most of his time on the bench, and b) I just don't see us playing 4-4-1-1 or variations of this season because Fergie seems happy with the 4-3-2-1 or whatever it is.

Fredrik, Sweden (26/07/2007 at 10:56)

I agree with Mick, Anderson won't be match fit and neither will OH. So Carrick and probably Fletcher (better engine than JOS) will be our CM pairing. And that's fine when you play Reading at home, but I can see us dropping points away to Pompey and City as these are two hard games.

Our options up front will also be limited with Saha still injured and Tevez still a long way from being a United player. 7 out of 9 would be a good start.

Dublinred, Dublin (26/07/2007 at 11:47)

Does anyone know what exactly is wrong with Louis Saha? Is he ever going to play again?

bobbydazzler (26/07/2007 at 11:53)

chris mick is in cloud cuckoo land if he thinks df will get in the team ahead of hargreaves. EVERY part of owen hargreaves game is on a different planet than the fletchmeister. as as for the creative side of his game i cannot recall too many assists from the scottish one in his 150 game stint

Mick, Dublin (26/07/2007 at 12:02)

I think some of you are missing my point. In an ideal world, with a fully fit squad, Fergie will pick Carrick, Scholes AND Hargreaves.

But if he decides to play two in midfield (because of injuries or if he fancies our chances against the opposition), those two will be Carrick and Scholes until such time as Hargreaves proves himself up to the job.

If he starts with a midfield pair in the first game of the season, he will definitely start with a match-fit, all-round midfielder like Darren Fletcher over an unfit, primarily defensive midfielder like Hargreaves.

I do have reservations about Hargreaves and always have done but I would love to be proved wrong. The fact that SAF fought so long and hard to get his man would imply that he's right and I am wrong.

But OH has never played in the Premier League and has to be allowed time to adapt. Sure he's played with English players in international games but international football is played at a totally different pace. OH has yet to earn his right to start games for United and it would be madness to throw him in the deep-end on the first day of the season as one of only two central midfielders.

Hargreaves only chance of playing against Reading, IMO, is as one of three, anchoring midfield behind Fletcher and Carrick.

Robbo, North Stand (26/07/2007 at 12:03)

Darren Fletcher should not play under any circumstances.

Mick, Dublin (26/07/2007 at 12:08)

BobbyD, your constant need to mention Darren Fletcher's number of appearances is bordering on an obsession.

chris, oxford (26/07/2007 at 12:20)

I too have reservations about OH Mick but DF still gives me the twitches!

Lee , Heywood, Heywood (26/07/2007 at 12:24)

Mick I think your obsession with making people believe Carrick is a great player rather than a good player influences your opinion of OH. Carrick will miss more games than OH if both are fit as OH is exactly what both Scholes and Carrick are not. In a four he will play OH and Scholes then possibly Carrick if he is resting Scholes. OH is massively better than you think very similar to Paul Ince while Carrick still cant get in the England team behind Jenas.

JonyB-), North Staffs (26/07/2007 at 12:27)

I think everyone is right in agreeing OH is byy far a better player than Fletch. But Mick raises a really important issue that pundist and fans alike seem determined to miss. OH status and development within the england squad should mean settling into brittian and Man utd in particular shouldnt be a problem considering hes NEVER lived here. But, football issues are different. He's never played in the prem. His footballing education is first class butr will have suited the european game and stage, not the burly and less technical Prem. I have no doubt he'll adapt and prove invaluable and that his Impact potentially should be felt before Nanis and Andersons. But its not a Given; he'll alos need time, so probably expect Carrick to start and Fltech(OMG!) to continue until SAF happy that adaptions pretty much complete !!

bobbydazzler (26/07/2007 at 12:32)

mick you keep mentioning df as an allround midfielder, i am confused. his record shows he doesnt score very often, cant recall him setting up too many goals either, he cant tackle and is not too fast either,he tends to pass backwards if he can, does not tackle very well. what exactly am i missing in this lad. i would prefer just about anybody ahead of him as would tens of thousands of other reds.you are just plain wrong about him.

Alf For The Devils, Ipswich (26/07/2007 at 13:07)

What is wrong with us MU fans having doubts about players who are already signed, we should give them our full support and make sure they succeed as the opposition fans just pray that they all failed.
I am happy to have OH in the squad and i trust Fergie to pick the best 11 at most games even if it means playing Fletcher.
We won the league last year with Fletcher and Carrick playing huge role during the season and I am happy to have them both as I think they are good players. NO TEAM IN THE WORLD HAS GOT 22 WORLD CLASS PLAYERS.
I dont mind if we sell some players among Smith,Heinze,Sylvestre,Pique,Rossi,Bardsley and Simpson.

Alias Smith, over the moon (26/07/2007 at 13:12)

Good debate this one - I think a few of us are watching with great interest to see what OH can do in the PL. For me, like Mick, Carrick would get the nod ahead of him in a two-man midfield against most opposition but that's heavily influenced by the fact that Carrick's got proven ability in a United shirt whereas OH hasn't yet.

Hey, it's a nice problem for SAF to have! But as I've said before, DF will get more games than people think.

Fredrik, Sweden (26/07/2007 at 13:25)

Mick, I don't fancy the combination of Scholes and Carrick. Neither of them can tackle and both are very very slow. On paper, Scholes and Hargreaves is a much better combination. And I don't fancy playing all three together as they all prefer to sit deep and they lack pace or cunning to run at defences. It would just result in an ocean of space between the three midfielders and the three attackers.

Line-up: Scholes, Hargreaves; Ronaldo, Giggs, Rooney; Tevez or Saha. Unless we play some fancy European team and need to keep it tight.

latiy2k, Toronto GTA (26/07/2007 at 13:27)

Be UNITED all of you! Trust in he who has brought all those multitudes of smiles upon our faces, including this off-season. O'Shea = 100% goals-chance ratio, Fletch = engine in the engine room and keeps it simple. Only non-coaches under-estimate. I coach, so I do not under-estimate.

Louis Edwards Turkey Twizlers, Macclesfield (26/07/2007 at 13:31)

One has to think if the £17 million has been a good investment taking into account Hargreaves injury record.

He only managed 12 games at Bayern last season, and then struggled to maintain his place in the team after injury!!!!

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