Darron Gibson

[Sullivinho]

I'm listening on the radio. He has been anonymous.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WA4Y_dNDkCM/SaitlV7L9HI/AAAAAAAAAF0/nLaO9aQq178/s400/ipl%2Bcheerleaders%2Bhotter.jpg

Gimme a G! .. Gimme an I!..

He's had a decent half in fairness. Good on him. Nice to see him having a go at Fletcher too.

[rebelmusic]

He's still shying away when UTD have the ball. Plenty of times he could have moved into decent positions and the back 4 were left doing long balls to nani/rooney. Did a nice run at the end though to setup a chance.

O'Shea playing very well.

[Charlie Darwin]

He's been getting into better positions than we're used to seeing him and he's been asking for the ball more. Bitched out Nani when he didn't spot him for a pass in the final third.

Carrick has had a stinker - I don't think he's completed a pass yet.

[Noelys Guitar]

Its so hard to judge him. He played two excellent balls to Nani around the back of Heinze. Then the game seems to pass him by for periods. He looks comfortable when he receives the ball and has played better than Carrick this half.

[geysir]

Darron has economy of effort, oft mistaken for shyness or anonymity.
He has done well, most every pass has hit the spot. There could be a goal for him in this game.

[rebelmusic]

Worth noting that utd are playing badly in general so gibson is certainly not the worst out there.

[paul_oshea]

Every pass he has made, has found its target, i only remember about two. Of note anyway. He does not look for the ball, its almost as though he is afraid of making a mistake. He will be the first off.

I think Gibson and Oshea have been uniteds worst players. O'shea looks very slow and laboured, he looked like he just wanted to get rid of it when he found himself in space on the wing, he was around 18 yards from teh line and he crossed it straight away. Rafal offers far more of an attacking threat, and looks just as good defensively, john will be getting less and less appearances i feel.

[paul_oshea]

And there ye go. Shaking his head too.

[Noelys Guitar]

He turned his back on that challenge just before he was taken off which is probably the worst thing you can do when playing for any team. Never good to see.

[Sullivinho]

Fergie's done that to him a few times lately. Must feel his confidence needs taking down a peg or something.

[paul_oshea]

Or maybe because he isn't doing enough to stay on, especially compared with the other midfielders?

[geysir]

Best move of the game was the Gibson delicate flick on to O'Shea and the cutback from O'Shea to Nani, who should have buried it first time.
O'Shea did alright in the game.

[paul_oshea]

Ya geysir he came into himself more and the game in the last 20 minutes. He seemed more keen in getting forward.

[Stuttgart88]

Was following on BBC text service while watching Arsenal on some foreign satellite feed in the pub. They were slating Carrick for his passing inaccuracy. Gibson seems to bear the wrath of twitter tweeters. Well, ok, one.

[Charlie Darwin]

He was poor in the second half but I still thought Ferguson took the wrong player off. United visibly improved when Scholes came on and began to look for the ball and found it much easier to win the ball when Fletcher began pressing up the pitch where Gibson had been. Carrick must be wondering what he has to do to get substituted.

[SwanVsDalton]

Thought he was good in the first, drifted out in the second. Also Utd looked better going forward with Scholes on, but Marseilles started to stream through the middle at will it seemed.

Whatever about Gibson, Carrick was awful. He's in the team by default, being the only 'defensive' midfielder but he's been dire recently.

[thepiedpiper]

Some interesting stats on him here
ttp://www.thefreekick.com/board/index.php/topic/14031-champions-league-round-of-16/page__st__220

[shaneker]

"Darron Gibson proves he is no Paul Scholes for Manchester United"


http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/feb/23/darron-gibson-manchester-united

[Charlie Darwin]

That's a reasonably fair article but a bizarre conclusion. The idea that van der Vaart could replace Scholes is something that appears to have become accepted fact despite having no basis in fact or logic. Harry Redknapp is getting the best of out of VDV because he's playing him in his best position, off a lone frontman. United have a better version of VDV and his name is Rooney. Sneijder is the obvious player to replace Scholes, but I guess that wouldn't have fit into the Bebe jab at the end.

Also there is no way Michael Carrick has a better range of passing than Gibson. It's just not true.

[abbeyvale]

That's a reasonably fair article but a bizarre conclusion. The idea that van der Vaart could replace Scholes is something that appears to have become accepted fact despite having no basis in fact or logic. Harry Redknapp is getting the best of out of VDV because he's playing him in his best position, off a lone frontman. United have a better version of VDV and his name is Rooney. Sneijder is the obvious player to replace Scholes, but I guess that wouldn't have fit into the Bebe jab at the end.

Also there is no way Michael Carrick has a better range of passing than Gibson. It's just not true.

Carrick was kept on tonight over Gibson for one reason alone, and that was European experience.

Gibson, Carrick, Bebe & Obertan will all be sold in the summer anyway, along with Hargreaves & Owen being released, and Van Der Sar & Neville retiring.
Thats 8 players Fergie will have to replace.

Anyway back on topic, Gibson simply isn't good enough for United, and would be much better off moving not only for his own best interests but as he would improve playing every game with a lesser club, it would be better for ROI also (surely get 3-4million for him)

[Charlie Darwin]

Carrick's close to agreeing a new contract supposedly.

[SwanVsDalton]

Some interesting stats on him here
ttp://www.thefreekick.com/board/index.php/topic/14031-champions-league-round-of-16/page__st__220

What do the stats show? Any chance of linking here? I couldn't open the attachment, have to sign up for the site and I couldn't be bothered at the mo.

[shakermaker1982]

"Darron Gibson proves he is no Paul Scholes for Manchester United"


http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/feb/23/darron-gibson-manchester-united

Talk about stating the ****** obvious.

Gibson did better than Carrick & Fletcher last night & he was United's only central midfielder who could actually pass the ball in the first half. Scholes would also not have played where Gibson ended up. Scholes is now the quarterback/ sits in front of the back 4 and gets United rolling when he does feature.

[geysir]

Carrick was very poor with distribution but he was kept on because he is more defensively capable than Gibson. The 2nd leg will be interesting, a defensively sound Marseilles should have that midfield player, who ran the Spartak defense ragged in Moscow, back in the team. The tie is wide open.
It's glaringly obvious that Darron is a talented player but one who desperately needs to be playing competitive games, week in week out, in order to develop.

[Kingdom]

Carrick was very poor with distribution but he was kept on because he is more defensively capable than Gibson. The 2nd leg will be interesting, a defensively sound Marseilles should have that midfield player, who ran the Spartak defense ragged in Moscow, back in the team. The tie is wide open.
It's glaringly obvious that Darron is a talented player but one who desperately needs to be playing competitive games, week in week out, in order to develop.

Mathieu Malbeuna. A peach of a player. Gibson was certainly no worse than those around him. The bits I saw, United looked totally lop-sided to the right. The amount of times they gave the ball back to Marseille was crazy. and vice versa too. Marseille didn't believe in themselves enough I think,.

[Fergie's Son]

Gibson comes on for Scholes and then plays a terrific ball to Berbatov to set up United's third goal.

[Noelys Guitar]

Gibson speaks about staying at United. And not happy at Trapatonni's comments again.
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Darron-Gibson-has-told-Republic-of-Ireland-manager-Giovanni-Trapattoni-that-he-will-not-consider-leaving-Manchester-United-article710708.html

[SwanVsDalton]

My first aim is to get one more game under my belt to qualify for a title medal

Vindicating Trap's point there. He's got belief in spades but it hasn't resulted in any real progression this season.

[Yard of Pace]

Comparing himself to Berbatov is ridiculous. Berbatov has played 32 times this season, 5 times as a sub and scored 20 goals. Gibson has played 15 times. 6 as sub. He needs to move and the sooner he can see that the better. Doesn't look like happening though.

[Closed Account]

Gibson speaks about staying at United. And not happy at Trapatonni's comments again.
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Darron-Gibson-has-told-Republic-of-Ireland-manager-Giovanni-Trapattoni-that-he-will-not-consider-leaving-Manchester-United-article710708.html
That link has crashed my browser a few times, so here's an alternative.
http://www.setanta.com/ien/Articles/2011/03/06/Gibson-wants-United-stay/gnid-89767/?

Darron Gibson accepts Giovanni Trapattoni's argument that he would get more first-team football away from Manchester United but he has no desire to leave Old Trafford.


Republic of Ireland manager Trapattoni has called for the midfielder to leave United, believing a move to a smaller club would benefit the player.

Gibson, however, does not agree being at United is damaging his career and he has made it clear that he wants to remain a Red Devil for the rest of his career.

"I can see where he is coming from, he wants me to play every week so he gets the best out of me when I play for Ireland," Gibson is quoted as saying in the News of the World.

"But leaving Old Trafford is easier said than done. My ambition is to never leave this club. I'd love to be here for the rest of my career.

"I am not leaving so we are both going to have to deal with that. I honestly don't think I would be a better player if I went anywhere else. I am at the best place to learn and I am getting great experience in big pressure games.

"Obviously I would like to play more but I can't complain. When Trapattoni said I should leave this club I was a bit disappointed. It's my decision, if I wanted to leave I would."

[CraftyToePoke]

I can see what he means there to be honest, and i can see his point, he is at one of the top clubs in the world, they want him to stay, and any move will be a move to a lesser club, until that is taken off the table by United, he will hold his course there.

Anything less than this from him would be to admit he isnt good enough and he didnt make the first team at that club entertaining thoughts like that.

I actually think United will move him on, not just yet though, and his career thereafter may slide quickly, but for now good luck to him.

[Yard of Pace]

I can see what he means there to be honest, and i can see his point, he is at one of the top clubs in the world, they want him to stay, and any move will be a move to a lesser club, until that is taken off the table by United, he will hold his course there.

Anything less than this from him would be to admit he isnt good enough and he didnt make the first team at that club entertaining thoughts like that.

I actually think United will move him on, not just yet though, and his career thereafter may slide quickly, but for now good luck to him.

They won't if he's happy to remain a sub. In a EPL squad it's great to have a guy who can fill in when needed but won't crib and moan about being on the bench most of the time. I can't see what he gets out of it, tbh, watching all the big games from the sidelines...

[Fergie's Son]

I was at Anfield yesterday and Darron came on. He looked like he might be better than Carrick. Not saying much but there you go.

[Stuttgart88]

I'd love to see what Paul Ince's statistics indicate now.

[Charlie Darwin]

I was at Anfield yesterday and Darron came on. He looked like he might be better than Carrick. Not saying much but there you go.
I am very confused.

[Fergie's Son]

I am very confused.

I was just saying that he came on as a sub. He didn't do a thing so that makes him better than Carrick.

[SwanVsDalton]

Think CD's confused because - unless everyone including BBC are mistaken (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9410613.stm) - Gibson stayed on the bench yesterday. Fletcher came on late on for Scholes, O'Shea and Hernandez the other two subs.

[Fergie's Son]

He was actually so anonymous that he wasnt even subbed on. I was done watching at that stage and looking to get out. He did warm up at least. And he was still better that Carrick.

[SwanVsDalton]

He was actually so anonymous that he wasnt even subbed on. I was done watching at that stage and looking to get out. He did warm up at least. And he was still better that Carrick.

True. The bench he was sitting on was better than Carrick.

[The Fly]

He was actually so anonymous that he wasnt even subbed on. I was done watching at that stage and looking to get out. He did warm up at least. And he was still better that Carrick.

Tell that to your old man, Darren.

[the bear]

I can see what he means there to be honest, and i can see his point, he is at one of the top clubs in the world, they want him to stay, and any move will be a move to a lesser club, until that is taken off the table by United, he will hold his course there.

Anything less than this from him would be to admit he isnt good enough and he didnt make the first team at that club entertaining thoughts like that.

I actually think United will move him on, not just yet though, and his career thereafter may slide quickly, but for now good luck to him.

have to agree with that, i can't see him holding a first team place in any prem team at the moment. will prob end up at celtic

[Sullivinho]

Starts against Arsenal (apparently aside O'Shea in midfield) in the FA Cup this evening. (ITV 1)

[Colbert Report]

This is going to be ugly, put up or shut up time for Gibson. I don't know what Fergie is thinking here, Arsenal are going to rip that midfield pairing apart.

[Noelys Guitar]

Starts against Arsenal (apparently aside O'Shea in midfield) in the FA Cup this evening. (ITV 1)

Seems like Ferguson has had enough of Carrick. Still don't believe he sees Gibson as the longterm answer but Gibson has been better than Carrick in any game I've seen recently (not a hard thing to achieve) . And it will be very interesting to see how O'Shea and Gibson get on today with both in midfield. I have a feeling Ferguson might sign McCarthy this summer. The way Rooney and Scholes recently targetted McCarthy suggests to me Ferguson rates him.

[Stuttgart88]

Commentator says Carrick is injured.

[Fergie's Son]

He played the pass for United's first chance. Not doing too badly but Arsenal having a lot more of the ball.

[Sullivinho]

I have a feeling Ferguson might sign McCarthy this summer. The way Rooney and Scholes recently targetted McCarthy suggests to me Ferguson rates him.

I think there'd be interest in McCarthy regardless but you'd have to think Wigan's likely relegation will seal his exit. Wouldn't surprise me at all if Ferguson was an admirer.


Commentator says Carrick is injured.

He broke a sweat.

[Fergie's Son]

Really wish Darron would show for the ball more. And why are we're talking about McCarthy in a Gibson thread?

Say what you will about Gibson but he made it clear that he wanted to play for us. I wish McCarthy would do the same.

[Noelys Guitar]

Game passing Gibson by again. O'Shea has looked very comfortable first half in midfield. Very impressed with his passing and pressing plus the defensive postions he takes up. I wonder if Trap is watching his performance.

[DannyInvincible]

Say what you will about Gibson but he made it clear that he wanted to play for us. I wish McCarthy would do the same.

Hasn't he?