Eto’o would be perfect for United: The Response

Inter Milan do have a player that would be perfect for Manchester United, but it’s not Wesley Sneijder.

Samuel Eto'o

Eto’o would be perfect for United but I’ve never really mentioned him because I think it would send out the wrong message to Chicharito who, even though I don’t believe can win United the Champions League just yet, is still a super player that I rate extremely highly.

I just think he still needs a stop gap to learn from, and a super machine that will take you guys (United) to the next level until Chicha can really step up in two or three years. Hernandez will be the best striker in the world by that time if he continues to play the 40 games he played this season.

The guy had a monster season even though he wasn’t primarily first choice, and I think that’s the way to go for one more season.

Chicha is a massively hungry forward, Inzaghi type, I just think he needs to get stronger and more streetwise. He still needs that consistent strength for when you’re running off the shoulder or for holding up the ball. He’s got that natural striker strength – the one Owen had back then – of wriggling free in tight spaces, but not the Puyol and Pique marking you and waiting for support strength. That’s the way to at least compete with Barca on a consistent basis over 90 minutes.

That’s why Chelsea did so well against Barcelona, Didier at his best allows so much pressure relief – five, six seconds where he’s held the ball up, the team has sprinted up as a unit and is then able to build phases off Didier’s work, sort of like in rugby.
 

Salute the King of strikers

So that’s what Eto’o gives, remember we are thinking Champions League victory here. That is United’s aim. It’s different for Arsenal for whom the aim is to simply get back into league competition.

At this point in time I really believe Sir Alex would prefer to win the Champions League over the Premiership, i.e. if you asked Fergie to choose right now, I believe he would take that Champions League glory. The league has been dominated, four titles in five years? It’s pretty definitive. No dispute... United are England Kings. Even if the devil’s worst happened and Man City were to win the league, I truly believe Sir Alex would be delighted regardless if he got the Champions League.

His next target is Barca, and it’s come out of nowhere. They laid down a pretty disrespectful and definitive challenge to Sir in that final.

The way Barca won just said: ‘Hey, United boys, you guys are children!”. So to me United are building for Champions League success, or at least they have to. Whoever “knocks Barca off this perch” will go down in history.

The system is basic, and it’s clear.

In a perfect world the twins would hold down the fullback areas. Evra’s lost power there. Vidic and Rio maybe still have it, although I believe Jones in there with Rio against Barca would be better. Vidic is immense, but he’s a basic defender, English style but also losing pace. He struggles against these nippy boys.

I think Fletcher has the passion, but I’m not sure about his ability to clean up as the last man, as in, him being that last man. He’s usually really shone played in a midfield three in which the defensive responsibilities are sort of shared. Well, now I would ask him to be Keane straight up, next to Modric. As a neutral I would also love to see Luka stay at Spurs, they have soooo much potential. That Sandro boy, well, he’s already one of the finest players in his position around. Kyle Walker? The best right-back in the Premiership bar none, a freak of nature. And now you have Friedel, amazingly consistent and underrated in equal measure. And I would put the boy Rose at leftback for the first three months or so, see how he goes. He’s too hungry right now… so you maybe looking at a team like this:

    Friedel

 Walker   Gallas Kaboul   Rose

       Sandro  Modric

      Van der V

 Lennon    Defoe    Bale

That’s pretty monster – a potential league winning team, no doubt in my mind at all. And you got Gio too, the closest thing out there to Lionel Messi.

Anyway, for United, get Pastore maybe.

All I know is that United need a Xavi… that guy who isn’t bothered to go too forward. The pivot. The guy who is sooo good but will let Rooney shine... Rooney is the man. That’s what Xavi does, Modric does it, Wilshere, Fabregas too, that’s why they’re such special players. We see it with Brazil. If you don’t that deep lying pivot you can’t play football. Anderson doesn’t understand this role; he’s too expansive in his pass at times. Giggs too, plus he’s proved against Barca he is not up to the task. I guess this is when we’ll really understand the greatness of Scholes; I really think he could have gone on for one more year.

Anyway, I’m getting lost… Valencia on the right-wing. Give him confidence and tell him to go crazy more. Dude is devastating one-on-one because of his sheer takeoff pace, I don’t think I could mark him... i.e. I could mark Cristiano, ok not really, I could mark Nani, ok maybe not. Anyway... Valencia is just extreme with that weapon he has. He just needs to believe in himself more. Young plays because of his set-piece delivery, consistency and his teamwork. This is United after all. Team comes first.

The African Superhero, scoring for Cameroon

Then upfront, up there wearing the number 9... the African superhero, Samuel Eto’o. I don’t see it though, not at all. But the guy would win anyone he joins the league, Spurs, Arsenal, Liverpool, City, United, Chelsea... if you check, all those teams lack that number 9, that raw force of nature upfront. Eto’o is arguably the greatest striker ever to play the game.

Ausi Tholoana

(Note: Chelsea prefer Fernando Torres over Didier Drogba.)