Shinji Kagawa

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Ekeke said:
You punish a player for trying to force a move twice in the span of a few years. He'll get exactly what he wants in a year and we'll get less for him
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Yes and if that happens it'll be to someone outside England. No use selling him to Chelsea and strengthening a direct rival. There was no option but to keep him. Would be ridiculously silly to punish him and deprive the club of his talent which has proven to be helpful in winning trophies.
 
Stack said:
No off season for the lad, no mental break from the game, a busy summer of training and games on the international front as well as the international travel that included.

A 12 hour international flight across multiple datelines back to the UK with just 2 days to recover and rumours he is also suffering from the Flu. You really want him to fail dont you?.
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You are way over about it, Kagawa isn't made of glass or candle stick. He was with the team during the preseasons, although Moyes didn't feature him much, which is understandable, but he looks very fit in the recent international games too and is very ready to play.
 
Ekeke said:
You punish a player for trying to force a move twice in the span of a few years. He'll get exactly what he wants in a year and we'll get less for him
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Not if he signs a contract which takes him into his thirties. That would put us in a position to either keep him for a significant amount of time or sell him for a far higher price.
 
Stack said:
What a load of utter bullshit. Thank feck you arent in charge of player well being. Its a long season not a sprint. Truth is all you want to do is perpetuate the idea Moyes doesnt want Kagawa. Even 3 full days rest for isnt enough for fecks sake. Whoopy shit if its first class, it doesnt help the time zone changes and body clock adjustments, firstly when he went on duty for japan and then the return adjustment. Add in even when its first class you are stuck in a small space for over 12 hours and remember the hour or 2 either side dealing with customs, boarding, disembarking etc etc. There is a thing called a mental break as well as a physical one. Players do end up jaded.

Kagawa needs to get his groove back and trying to force him to do it after an international flight coupled with international duty which also involves international training doesnt give him a fair chance of getting his groove back.

fecking hell, people really dont want to give the guy a chance to shine do they.
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Where did you get that from his post?
 
Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini unveiling hijacked by #playkagawa fan campaign

MANCHESTER UNITED'S Instagram has been bombarded by fans asking for David Moyes to play Shinji Kagawa.

The club posted a picture of Marouane Fellaini behind a camera after appearing at the Old Trafford photocall today, asking fans who it was in the caption.
But instead of answering the question, disgruntled Reds replied with the hashtag #playkagawa.
The former Everton man could be in line for his debut tomorrow lunchtime, which will most likely leave the Japanese international releagted from a starting place in the first team yet again.
During the press event, Fellaini admitted he started to fear his dream move was never going to be completed from Everton.
"With the chairman at Everton you never know," he said.
"Sometimes I think there is no chance for me to join Manchester United.
"But in the end I was so happy because the chairman accepted the deal."
The transfer was only completed after Fellaini gave up an estimated £4million in salary and also drove to Everton's training ground at Finch Farm to plead withmanager Roberto Martinez to be allowed to leave.

"I talked with the manager," said the Belgium international.
"It was a big opportunity for me to join one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"I want to win trophies. I play football for this, with Manchester United I have a big chance to win something. http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/fo...unveiling-hijacked-by-playkagawa-fan-campaign
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Had a quick look at the United Instagram page and its true! #playkagawa is in the comments on all the Fellaini pictures. http://instagram.com/p/eNM-E2oHh1/
 
roseguy64 said:
Yes and if that happens it'll be to someone outside England. No use selling him to Chelsea and strengthening a direct rival. There was no option but to keep him. Would be ridiculously silly to punish him and deprive the club of his talent which has proven to be helpful in winning trophies.
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He'll still go to Chelsea
 
Yeah, I reckon even if we let him run his contract down he'll end up there. Next year we might be tempted to cash in though, it's either £20m - £30m then or nothing in a year and we won't convince him to stay beyond 2015 I think.
 
This entire thing is absolutely pathetic. Im probably one of Kagawas biggest admirers and really want to see him succeed in our first eleven. Id start him. But he hasnt played in 3 games. 3. The likes of that instagram campaign are instant justification for the shutting down of any social media run by the club that fans can contribute so freely to. Youd swear we had fecking Messi on the bemch while Moyes persisted with James Beattie and we were well into a season. Hes given his reasons and if Kagawa is the player we all hope he is, he'll play. Simple as that.
 
SER19 said:
This entire thing is absolutely pathetic. Im probably one of Kagawas biggest admirers and really want to see him succeed in our first eleven. Id start him. But he hasnt played in 3 games. 3. The likes of that instagram campaign are instant justification for the shutting down of any social media run by the club that fans can contribute so freely to. Youd swear we had fecking Messi on the bemch while Moyes persisted with James Beattie and we were well into a season. Hes given his reasons and if Kagawa is the player we all hope he is, he'll play. Simple as that.
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Yes, and he's basically our only player who's been fit all the time and hasn't featured in a single game anyway. Chelsea game was particularly calling for him but Moyes would rather use one less sub than give him a run.
 
Sarni said:
Yes, and he's basically our only player who's been fit all the time and hasn't featured in a single game anyway. Chelsea game was particularly calling for him but Moyes would rather use one less sub than give him a run.
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and what do you think that means?
 
That Moyes might not necessarily fancy him as a United player.
 
This is getting beyond a joke, not Kagawa being out but the people who are getting so ridiculous about it after just 4 games.

I've seen people saying he should play even with flu. Would do wonders for our first CL game to have everyone out with it!
 
paceme said:
You have no idea if he was fit or not. Stop coming out with bullshit to back up you're stupid opinion.
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Why put him on the bench if he can't play mere 15 minutes then?

Quite clearly he wouldn't have made it to the bench if he wasn't fit at all. He then went and played for Japan no problem as well.
 
Shark22 said:
Out with the flu? unlucky lad, not the start to the season he would have wanted.
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Probably caught it on the plane back from Japan. Those things are flying heath hazards. I don't think I've ever got off a long-haul flight without getting sick for a day or two.
 
truth ^

Still if its not true its a bit of a whack one. Reading about how Moyes has not played certain players due to other commitments.. IE Kagawa and the Confeds cup and internationals in Asia but Hernandez has had a handful of game time and is arguably played just as much and flown about for Mexico..
 
Right now our team only has one "weakness", and that is finding clever passes in the attacking third. The thought of Kagawa's return makes me drool:drool:
 
Andy Mitten on Kagawa
Manchester United’s disabled supporters’ association were wrapping up their annual dinner. All the first team players turned up on time, except Shinji Kagawa. He was doing extra weights and seeing the club doctor after training. The remaining fans ready to leave when Shinji arrived, all apologies for being late. He then asked for a cup of English tea and sat down with the 12 remaining fans. He talked to them in better English than they expected.
“It would have been easier for him not to bother coming as he had a legitimate reason not to attend, but he made the effort to come and see us,” said the organizer. “We were all very impressed by him. He was the last person to leave.”
Kagawa’s tea-drinking and his English is coming on. He’s popular in the dressing room and Rio Ferdinand reckons he’s the best footballer in training since Paul Scholes retired.
“I’m very excited to see how he does,” says Ferdinand. “Last season he was feeling his way in, he didn’t know much about the league. Then he got an injury at a critical time, just as he was starting to get a good bit of rhythm in his football. This season I think he could be a surprise package.”
Kagawa just needs to get it right where it matters most – on the pitch for the first team. A chance would be a fine thing.
United’s first ever Japanese signing at Old Trafford could have had a better first season. His arrival from Borussia Dortmund was greeted with huge optimism among Reds.
His signing was needed. Losing the league in the way United did – to City of all teams – hit the collective mood of fans hard, as did seeing Chelsea win the European Cup and then losing out to them for Eden Hazard.
Kagawa’s arrival lifted that gloom. This was a young player who has already been a star for the German champions, scoring 13-15 goals and assisting another 15 consistently in a top title winning team over two seasons. A versatile player who could play behind a striker or on either wing.
It all seemed too good to be true and one wonders why, at £12 million (with add-ons expected to make £17 million), he was so cheap. If he was 33 you could understand it, but 23? Were Dortmund wrong in not getting him tied down on a longer contract?
Kagawa’s Real Madrid bound team mate Nuri Sahin (the league’s player of the year who Dortmund let go for just €10 million) was purring that “the boy plays like an angel”. That’s after Kagawa been an immediate success and scored twice in the Ruhr derby win over Schalke 04.
When he signed, I spoke to Miyamoto, the recently retired Japan captain.
“Kagawa is very quick and strong especially in narrow areas,” he replied, in English. “He doesn’t have as powerful a shot as Rooney but is good at a controlled shot. I don’t know him personally, but I’ve heard he is an extrovert.”
I also consulted Jan Age Fjortoft, who you’ll know well in Scandinavia. He watches Bundesliga games every week for Norwegian television.
“He’s great value for money compared with Hazard,” said Fjortoft. “Kagawa is always running. Good timed runs. He’ll always be where things happen in the 18-yard-box. I guess he will have a free role behind the striker. Sir Alex Ferguson has done his homework (again). Kagawa, used in his best position, can be a hit.”
But Kagawa didn’t come highly recommended by all of United’s top scouts. One senior scout who watched him for Borussia Dortmund concluded that he wasn’t fast enough or strong enough to play in English football. His opinion was overridden by Sir Alex Ferguson and his assistant Mike Phelan, plus two other scouts. They watched him at least three times for Dortmund live. They thought he had what it took to succeed at United. They found a fellow enthusiast in chief executive David Gill, who saw the football and economic potential of the top Japanese player.
Japan is the world’s third biggest economy and the Japanese love the cult of personality and celebrity. Beckham was huge in Japan and he wasn’t even Japanese. Gill saw a perfect fit for a football club increasing its roster of global sponsors.
Kagawa’s signing was everything United hoped – in Japan. Within three months, his shirt was the third best seller in the Megastore. Japanese journalists relocated to Manchester and at one pre-season game in Oslo last August, there were more Japanese journalists than British. United tied up several sponsorship deals with Japanese companies, their main football magazines carry articles on Shinji in every issue and United played two pre-season games in Yokohama and Osaka this July, both of which sold out to a combined crowd of over 100,000. Kagawa was United’s spokesman before and after both games, his every word headline news – even if some were twisted. A remark about his affection for Dortmund was somehow reported as him wanting to return to Germany. That he should even be linked back to Germany after a year should have been a surprise, but, sadly, elsewhere matters haven’t worked out as hoped.
There have been flashes of brilliance and occasional games in which Kagawa stood out, but he hasn’t had the impact many hoped for. He can be so frustrating to watch because he’s hugely gifted. The question is how to integrate those gifts into United’s style, especially as that style constantly changes depending on the opposition. Kagawa has had to adapt by playing well in different roles, though that’s easier said than done. Ferguson wasn’t stupid, he knew Kagawa’s abilities, his deft touches and vision, his passing accuracy. He also knew his weaknesses, that he’s not a defender or physically strong. And yet Kagawa could be crucial to United in Europe, where another option is needed, something more intelligent than the United which overwhelms opponents with high pressured attacking, using force and pace as much as skill. This approach works against Wigan, but not against Barcelona.
Kagawa started in United’s biggest game of last season, away to Real Madrid. He was average. I spoke to him in the mixed zone after the game. He said that he was “satisfied” with how he’d played, but his eyes told a different story. He knew he had to raise his game. He hadn’t stood out and you need to stand out when you play for United.
Like Rooney, who’d also performed poorly in Spain, Kagawa was dropped for Madrid at home. In the meantime, he was picked to play against Norwich at Old Trafford and scored a well-taken hat-trick. Two of his other goals last season came in the first month of the season against Fulham at home in August on his home debut and against Tottenham Hotspur at home in September. Again, cool finishes. His sixth goal came against West Brom in the freakish 5-5 end of season match.
Kagawa started last term well and finished well, but injury struck just as he was settling in. Ferguson’s most revealing quote about him came after United’s April 2-2 draw at West Ham. Kagawa started only his 13th league game for United and excelled at a stadium where he’d performed poorly in January’s FA Cup 3rd round tie.
Then, he was ineffective and short of the quality necessary to be a United player, though he had just returned from injury.
By April, he was United’s best player, showing wondrous balance and vision, providing an assist for a goal and almost scoring a beautiful effort himself. When Wayne Rooney was substituted, the Englishman looked disappointed. Sir Alex Ferguson explained why.
“As far as taking Wayne off, it was simple. He wasn’t playing as well as Shinji and we wanted to get that goal. There have been so many games where Wayne has been better than most players, but on the night, Shinji was playing so well.”
Ferguson was not finished.
“I think Shinji is doing very well for us now. He has fantastic composure on the ball and always seems to pick the more sensible pass. He was terrific for the first goal, showing the composure to take the player on in a tight area and roll the ball into Antonio Valencia.”
His words were more significant because Ferguson saw Kagawa as more integral to United’s future than Rooney. He didn’t think that three months before and that’s in part because of Rooney and in part because of Kagawa.
Kagawa finished the season with a flourish and his pass in the build up for Robin Van Persie’s hat-trick strike when United were crowned champions for the 20th time against Aston Villa was tantalizing.
The future looked bright for Kagawa. The shape of United’s team was evolving and Kagawa looked like he could become central to the way United play. Ferguson surrounded himself with able lieutenants like Rene Muelensteen, who was an advocate of a Barcelona-style high-pressing game with smaller players running around not letting other teams have the ball. Smaller players like Kagawa. There was a school of thought among the coaches that it was the right way to win the Champions League again.
It’s believed that some of the more senior players in the squad, like Rooney and Ferdinand, weren’t in favour. They felt United should stick to the tried and tested methods which have been so successful, especially domestically. They don’t make the decisions and there was a strong chance that Rooney wouldn’t be around to see any chances implemented.
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(cont.)
Then it all changed on 8th May when Ferguson stepped down.
Ferguson had moved on and yet Kagawa’s progress hasn’t. David Moyes met him for the first time in Yokohama and said:
“I know a little about him as a player. Sir Alex spoke in glowing terms about Shinji and how good a player he is. I’ve just met him today, so we’re getting to know each other. I’m trying to learn Japanese and he’s trying to understand my Scottish! It was his first season in the Premier League last year. He’s a young player so we hope his development continues.”
Kagawa smiled. A score of cameras clicked. A beaming Shinji would provide the cover story for the following day.
Nearly two months on and Kagawa hasn’t played a single minute for United. Shinji has been the main victim of Moyes so far. Moyes has not spoken a bad word against him, he just hasn’t selected him.
Far from being a key member of the first team that many fans hoped, a frustrated Kagawa was not even on the bench for the game at Liverpool, a game he began last season. Asked about the decision after the game, Moyes admitted that it was a straight choice between Shinji and Nani for a place on the bench.
It gets worse for Kagawa. United identified various players who would have been a threat to Kagawa’s position during the close season, Cesc Fabregas and Ander Herrera being two.
Moyes claims that Shinji will get his chance, that they have been issues with his fitness after he arrived late for pre-season after competing in the Confederations Cup.
Kagawa may be exasperated, but he’s not the only one. Asked about Shinji, his former boss Jurgen Klopp hit his head with his palm in frustration. Then he said: “Shinji Kagawa is one of the best players in the world and he now plays 20 minutes at Manchester United – on the left wing! My heart breaks. Really, I have tears in my eyes. Central midfield is Shinji’s best role. He’s an offensive midfielder with one of the best noses for goal I ever saw. But for most Japanese people it means more to play for Man United than Dortmund. We cried for 20 minutes, in each others’ arms when he left.”
Kagawa isn’t even playing 20 minutes at the moment. Surely he deserves his chance soon.
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The Shinji conundrum has more to do with how the team is setup than the quality of the player. I am convinced Shinji may have been an impulsive buy on SAF's part simply because he is quality, available and affordable. The team just isn't setup to accommodate him in his best position and hasn't been so since time in imemoriam. As sad as it is to see a talent like his not fully utilized, this could be just one of those cases wherein the two parties aren't made for one another. I can't see Moyes changing the setup of team in a manner that suits Kagawa, neither can I see Kagawa replicating his Dortmund performances in in wide positions or with the players around him. Had we had a tactically disciplined box to box midfielder in our midst like Khedira, Ramires or Fletcher was between 2007 and 2011, then a different platform may have been possible.
 
Moyes used Pienaar from the left at Everton, I see no reason why he won't use Kagawa to the same effect. Especially with our current wingers run of form.
 
Pienaar was far more accustomed to wide than Kagawa playing that way for Ajax and South Africa.

That being said if he is swapping with Rooney plus another player across the park then I don't see the problem.
 
Eto'odinho said:
The Shinji conundrum has more to do with how the team is setup than the quality of the player. I am convinced Shinji may have been an impulsive buy on SAF's part simply because he is quality, available and affordable. The team just isn't setup to accommodate him in his best position and hasn't been so since time in imemoriam. As sad as it is to see a talent like his not fully utilized, this could be just one of those cases wherein the two parties aren't made for one another. I can't see Moyes changing the setup of team in a manner that suits Kagawa, neither can I see Kagawa replicating his Dortmund performances in in wide positions or with the players around him. Had we had a tactically disciplined box to box midfielder in our midst like Khedira, Ramires or Fletcher was between 2007 and 2011, then a different platform may have been possible.
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There's no reason why Kagawa can't play drifting from the lift and there's no suggestion that Moyes would mind that line up. Against Liverpool he specifically set up to have the right footer Young on the left, and left footer Giggs on the right, knowing if they were to influence it would most likely be coming inside. He's shown he's happy to play Welbeck wide from the left where he'll also drift inside.

The only thing that really makes sense is the one that's also the most logical and also the most boring and so just gets looked over. Simply he came back at pre season and clearly wasn't particularly sharp as reflected in his average/poor performances when he did play. Then with that, our tough start to the season and him having additional travelling to do with Japan once the season started it means Moyes simply hasn't had a chance to get to know him or assess if his sharpness has gotten that much better. In contrast he knows all the other players well having been playing against them for years.

The only slightly strange thing is him not getting off the bench more but even then it's really only the Swansea game as although a lot of people would have preferred him, Giggs who came on instead has shown himself plenty of times to be someone who can change a match as well.
 
krazyrobus said:
Pienaar was far more accustomed to wide than Kagawa playing that way for Ajax and South Africa.

That being said if he is swapping with Rooney plus another player across the park then I don't see the problem.
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Kagawa plays there for Japan, and performs consistently.
 
Ash_G said:
There's no reason why Kagawa can't play drifting from the lift and there's no suggestion that Moyes would mind that line up. Against Liverpool he specifically set up to have the right footer Young on the left, and left footer Giggs on the right, knowing if they were to influence it would most likely be coming inside. He's shown he's happy to play Welbeck wide from the left where he'll also drift inside.

The only thing that really makes sense is the one that's also the most logical and also the most boring and so just gets looked over. Simply he came back at pre season and clearly wasn't particularly sharp as reflected in his average/poor performances when he did play. Then with that, our tough start to the season and him having additional travelling to do with Japan once the season started it means Moyes simply hasn't had a chance to get to know him or assess if his sharpness has gotten that much better. In contrast he knows all the other players well having been playing against them for years.

The only slightly strange thing is him not getting off the bench more but even then it's really only the Swansea game as although a lot of people would have preferred him, Giggs who came on instead has shown himself plenty of times to be someone who can change a match as well.
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It is quite simply actually, Kagawa just isn't a wide player. He may pull out wide given the freedom to roam around but he is just isn't a wide player in the traditional sense.

Edit: Kagawa is bit like an energetic Seba Veron in an advanced position. Extremely gifted but requires a setup that doesn't starve him of the ball for long periods. In other words, a setup that employs intense pressing when the team hasn't got the ball, makes more use of short passes, and bombs forward at the earliest opportunity, very much like how Dortmund and Japan play.
 
Eto'odinho said:
It is quite simply actually, Kagawa just isn't a wide player. He may pull out wide given the freedom to roam around but he is just isn't a wide player in the traditional sense.
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I think everyone is aware of that and I doubt he will be asked to play like a traditional winger. He'll have the license to drift in and interchange with Rooney/Welbeck
 
Eto'odinho said:
It is quite simply actually, Kagawa just isn't a wide player. He may pull out wide given the freedom to roam around but he is just isn't a wide player in the traditional sense.
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Yeah that's fine but is Welbeck? No but we've been happy to put him there. As I said we're happy to play people on their wrong foot knowing they will come inside. Look at how Januzaj just played. I don't think Moyes has done anything to suggest he's really looking for two wingers going to the byline and I don't think his Everton days suggest that given how he used Pienaar and Baines.
 
No one expect chalk on his boots, I don't see why he can't play like Pires, find pockets of space inside the box off centre with clever passing and movement.
 
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