More on Manucho

19 March 09 by Bill

Following on from yesterday’s piece on Manucho, I asked Matt from http://hull.theoffside.com what his views on the Angolan were. I emailed him over some questions and with a lightening quick response; he’s what he had to say.

Overall, are you happy with Manucho’s performance?

It would be easy to say that I wouldn’t be happy with only one goal, but in reality, he has done well for us. He brings a different dimension to games, and I think that with the limited opportunities he has gotten so far, he has done well, and hopefully will continue to improve.

Do you think Manucho should be in Hull’s starting eleven?

It depends on the situation. Manucho, Folan, Cousin and Fagan all bring different qualities to the park. It is up to the manager to decide who best fits the opponent and formation. That being said, I would like to see Manucho get some more starts, as he may have the most potential of our strikers.

What do you feel Manucho adds to the team?

In addition to his size, he also brings the wow factor. While Geovanni has shown this more consistently (at least in the first half of the season), Manucho certainly has the capability to score at any moment, as his past performances for Angola show. Once he gets fully settled, and more confident, I can see him emerging as a powerful, week in, week out striker.

Is there anything lacking from Manucho’s game?

Consistency would be my first reaction, although in fairness, limited opportunities can result in inconsistent performances. He can be frustrating to watch at times however, with heavy touches, poor decision making, and lacking a cutting edge at times in front of goal. I truly believe however that once he becomes more confident in himself playing at this level and pace, he will emerge as an Adebayo like striker.

What has been Manucho’s best moment for Hull this season?

Scoring the winner against a Fulham side that can be very difficult to beat. A massive three points for the Tigers.

What has been Manucho’s worst moment for Hull this season?

Has to be the head to head clash with Djourou on his debut. Not exactly the start you want to make for a new club, was gutted for him.

Given the opportunity, would you take Manucho on a permanent basis?

I would take him on a permanent basis, given the right price. Not all Hull supporters may be convinced, but as I said earlier, I really think he can emerge as a powerful, consistent front man in this league.

Do you think Manucho will ever be a first team regular at Manchester United?

That is so difficult to answer considering the array of talent upfront at United. Obviously he is not going to unseat Berbatov, Rooney or Tevez in the short term. With emerging talents like Danny Welbeck and the fantastic Frazier Campbell (who we would be happy to take off your hands) also in the mix, it may seem nigh on impossible to envision the Angolan as an Old Trafford regular, but I wouldn’t write him off entirely. I don’t think we’ve seen near his best as of yet.

You can read more of Matt’s work at http://hull.theoffside.com