[Archived] Roque Santa Cruz Thread

[gazsimm]

Do you honestly believe we have a penny to spend if he doesnt go?

He is on big wages, and except for probably Samba & Warnock he is our only player that has a decent sell on value.

but if he stays and sells some of the ever under performaning players like MGP, Benni and the axe, he might be able to get some decent money there. RSC is a great player and if nobobay comes in for him in the summer, then i think that will be a bonus for rovers as long as he can stay fit unlike this season.

[BiggusLaddus]

Do you honestly believe we have a penny to spend if he doesnt go?

He is on big wages, and except for probably Samba & Warnock he is our only player that has a decent sell on value.

Most of the money received from the sale would go on his replacement, so would most of the wage saving, leaving us with about £4.52p to spend on the midfield.

[Hughesy]

but if he stays and sells some of the ever under performaning players like MGP, Benni and the axe, he might be able to get some decent money there. RSC is a great player and if nobobay comes in for him in the summer, then i think that will be a bonus for rovers as long as he can stay fit unlike this season.

The axe is out of contract, along with Brown, Ooijer & Tugay. Thats 4 players who need replacing with 0 money so far.

I wouldnt sell benni as he gets goals - Roberts, Derbyshire & Gallagher would all go before him in my book. MGP - Maybe yes, but again who would you replace him with?

If we got £15m for Roque - there is no way in this world that we would splash more than £8m on his replacement, and also there is no way that player would come in at the same 60-65k a week bracket.

[rovers_rob]

This link doesn't work Rob.

I've just tried it and it seems to work for me but if you go to the newsnow website it is listed under the rovers section.

[gazsimm]

The axe is out of contract, along with Brown, Ooijer & Tugay. Thats 4 players who need replacing with 0 money so far.

I wouldnt sell benni as he gets goals - Roberts, Derbyshire & Gallagher would all go before him in my book. MGP - Maybe yes, but again who would you replace him with?

If we got £15m for Roque - there is no way in this world that we would splash more than £8m on his replacement, and also there is no way that player would come in at the same 60-65k a week bracket.

I am sure sam will be also looking for freebies as well. Benni can go for me, ok he might get a few goals, but is overall play is dreadfull and he just does not look intrested to be playing for us at the moment.

As for MGP the only thing he contributes at the moment is his long throws and maybe some tracking back to help Givet out, but his wing play is very poor. I am sure there are better players out there who can do a better job then MGP can

[Lee]

The axe is out of contract, along with Brown, Ooijer & Tugay. Thats 4 players who need replacing with 0 money so far.

Brown is not out of contract:

http://www.rovers.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetai...3~10113,00.html

[Hughesy]

I stand corrected then - Thanks lee. He may however be on the move in the summer - hopefully for a fee then.

[jim mk2]

FERGUSON: ROQUE STRIKE STARTED SLUMP

By Simon Stone, PA Sport Chief Football Writer

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Manchester United's defensive resolve has collapsed since their amazing clean-sheet record was brought to an end by Blackburn.

It is hard to comprehend how a team that can set a new Premier League best of 14 successive clean sheets should suddenly appear so vulnerable.

The 10 goals United have conceded in their last four games is the same number it took 22 matches to let in prior to the Old Trafford hammering by Liverpool on March 14.

But Ferguson believes the actual malaise dates back a further three weeks, when Blackburn were distinctly unlucky to suffer a 2-1 defeat to the Red Devils, having outplayed the world club champions for long spells.

What Sam Allardyce's side did manage to do was score, through Roque Santa Cruz. It robbed United of an in-built need to concentrate, and they have never recovered.

``We were doing very well when we weren't conceding any goals because there was a record to defend,'' recalled Ferguson.

``Once we lost that first goal against Blackburn, the battle to try to keep the record had gone. Since then we have lost really bad goals.''

Injuries and poor form have also come together at just the wrong time, a deadly combination from which, at present, there seems to be no escape.

When Rio Ferdinand returned from the Club World Cup in Japan with a back injury that kept him out for five weeks, Jonny Evans stepped brilliantly into the breach.

But now Ferdinand is sidelined again, Evans' confidence has ebbed as the rigours of playing so many games have caught up with his 21-year-old legs.

Similarly, the once reliable presence of John O'Shea, who was superb at left-back when Patrice Evra was ruled out by suspension and then injury, is struggling for form after being switched to the other full-back position and then centre-half last night when Evans went off with a groin injury that makes him a doubt for next week's second leg with Porto.

Nemanja Vidic's recent disciplinary troubles mean he was starting only his fifth game out of nine in last night's 2-2 draw and the rustiness showed.

The list of senior men currently operating well below their peak is lengthy and includes Evra, plus Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes, who can normally be relied upon to keep possession but are currently giving it away with alarming regularity.

Gary Neville is only just back off the treatment table, Dimitar Berbatov, Anderson, Wes Brown and Rafael da Silva are on it, along with Ferdinand, whose groin injury has not given Ferguson any sign of clearing up.

Little wonder it seems like Wayne Rooney is carrying the fight on his own, with occasional flashes of genius from Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Federico Macheda.

Indeed, given the importance of next week's second leg and the need to retain an element of freshness for Portugal, it would be no surprise if Macheda was handed his first start on Saturday, when the Premier League leaders head to relegation-threatened Sunderland.

O'Shea is set to partner Vidic in defence as United attempt to subdue Kenwyne Jones rather more effectively than they managed with Aston Villa's John Carew on Sunday.

However, the problem of fatigue goes far deeper.

``We are suffering,'' said Ferguson.

``Park Ji-sung is the one player who never misses a beat in terms of his movement and endurance work in a game.

``He has such natural stamina. He was well off the pace last night and looked tired.''

Park's World Cup commitment to South Korea could not have helped, one of the reasons Ferguson felt he was placed in an unfair position last weekend when he was forced to choose between facing Villa on Saturday lunchtime with no preparation, or Sunday afternoon knowing aching limbs could drain his team last night.

Only the foolhardy would write off United's chances of overcoming Porto in the second leg next week.

But Ferguson also knows he must look beyond the task of ensuring United become the first English team to beat the Portuguese champions on their own soil after 11 previously failed attempts.

For, if United do fall, the Scot will have a major job on his hands trying to raise spirits in a squad that sees the finishing line too far away to simply drop across. And hungry predators from Merseyside - Rafael Benitez in the Premier League and David Moyes in the FA Cup - are lying in wait to pounce themselves.

end

[American]

Haven't read through the last couple of pages, but please, can we stop making such a big deal out of the 3 years installments? A lot of deals are done on installments, including some of ours, and I'm sure we would have factored that into our purchases.

[Mr. E]

I know I'm in the minority but I'd rather he doesn't play for us again. We really need the money, his "ambitions" lie elsewhere and as we can see by these constant injuries he isn't much useful at all.

[kandi]

Roque`s knee injury has shown signs of improvement,and he may be on the bench.Allardyce said:"We expect for him to at least be fit for Stoke next week.He may be fit to play but he`d be short on match practice."

[Amo]

I'm sure I heard on Soccer Saturday Roque has damaged his calf and will be out for another two weeks.

[RibbleValleyRover]

I'm sure I heard on Soccer Saturday Roque has damaged his calf and will be out for another two weeks.

Sam was interviewed on SS1, said that Roque picked up a small calf injury and nothing to do with his knee.

[ABBEY]

SKIVYITUS MORE LIKE

[Amo]

SKIVYITUS MORE LIKE

Wasn't he crocked at Bayern though?

[ABBEY]

My mate in germany said he would bang goals in then look for big money move or get his dodgy knee back....didnt give lotto numbers tho.

[Shabani]

damn i was a bit optimistic with 10 minutes

[Bobby G]

Out for two weeks?

Or just this match?

[den]

He picked up a calf strain while doing his fitness test for today's game!

[Hughesy]

According to the club - he passed the fitness test and then when he came in to get ready for the game, he complained of a calf strain.

[Tom]

Is a calf strain the one that wont show up on any scans? The 'Bentley' injury?

[Hughesy]

Could he not play through the pain via injections??

[Tom]

My cynical side is pretty sure he's putting it on so as not to get injured before summer.

Sooner we're rid the better for all concerned now.

[Waggy76]

My cynical side says ...Roque was never going to play at Liverpool (at best sub) ....

Get the feeling he will play at Stoke though...In fact I expect all the players will be fit for that one except Reid , Emerton and Roberts .

[Bobby G]

You can be sure he isnt the type to feign injury.

Ludicrous.

He is just crocked.

Its a shame, cause I think from next week we really need him in the side.