Talking Hotel Arbat Blues

Not much about today, mainly just a few quotes scattered across the papers.
There's a bit of look at Ben Foster in The Guardian with some quotes from the player and Sir Alex:

"I have said it before and I will say it again, there is no question in my mind that he will be England's goalkeeper. There is nobody better. I am absolutely convinced of that."But he has two challenges. One is to take the position of Edwin van der Sar, who as everybody accepts, is one of the great goalkeepers of all time." The other, Ferguson accepted, was in the hands of fate. "We have to hope and pray that he stays free of injury and consistency will be everything for the boy."

"It is a big 12 months for me," Foster said today. "I have just got to kick on and start playing a few matches. Of course the World Cup is a big motivation for me. You don't get many chances to play in a World Cup and I feel that provided I can play some games for Manchester United, I have a realistic chance of going."

Quotes from Rio Ferdinand on Owen and his injuries also figure:

"The lads get a great buzz out of seeing someone like Michael Owen score goals," he said. "When he signed for the club there were a lot of doubters out there. People were saying all kinds of things about him. We have heard it all. But the players go in there with an open mind and just hope to see the player we know Michael can be."

Ferdinand added that he has recovered from the injuries that kept him out of the United side last year.

"It is probably the first season I have ever been injured really but I still played 43 games," he said. "However, I accept I missed a few so hopefully this season it will be back to normal practice. I did a little bit of training on my own this summer but I have started the pre-season with everybody else and been happy with it."

An article in The Mail looks at the loss of Ronaldo and how that could affect the formation:

Ferguson was candid this week when he said: ‘He is a huge loss. It won’t be the
same without Ronaldo. It can’t be.’

The trick now for Ferguson is to succeed with different tactics. ‘We will shape it
differently,’ the United manager added. ‘We will be more compact in midfield.’

Perhaps the player who will feel the most pressure is the Ecuadorian Antonio Valencia, bought from Wigan. A right-sided midfielder, he will take Ronaldo’s position.

More disciplined than the Portugal star, Valencia will in all likelihood prompt Ferguson to revert to 4-4-2.

Ronaldo’s unpredictability and versatility compelled United to have extra defensive cover.

With the World Player of the Year gone, United will perhaps become more rigid. What is important is that they don’t become predictable.

Quotes from Berbatov looking forward to building on his good first season:

"I think I can do better this season," he told MUTV. "I think I can do more. That's why I am happy to be on the pre-season tour. It is always beneficial to start well and have a good pre-season and I feel I am training well at the moment. I am here to score goals and I hope to score more and more for United this season."

Quotes from Giggs on losing Tevez and Ronaldo:

"Since I came into the team the likes of Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes, Eric Cantona, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Roy Keane and David Beckham have left the club.

"But that is what the manager is so good at - reshaping and re-energising the team.

"Carlos and Cristiano were great players but we move on. As players it's like ships in the night. You just get on with it."

A rumour linking us to David Villa:

SIR Alex Ferguson is considering entering the race for Spanish superstar David Villa.

The United manager knows he is well behind Real Madrid and Barcelona in the queue of top clubs lining up for the Valencia striker.

Chelsea and Liverpool are also hoping to lure him to the Premier League.

But Fergie believes there is the chance of nipping in ahead of his rivals after learning of Villa's increasing frustration over his failure to find a new club this summer.

The 27-year-old wants to remain in Spain with Real and Barca his preferred options.

But as yet no move has materialised and the Spanish international is becoming increasingly restless.

Fergie has monitored his situation closely and sources in Spain claim he is ready to meet Valencia's £38m valuation. The danger is that Villa's representatives will use United's interest as a bargaining tool to force the hand of either Real or Barca.

Finally, Mark Ogden has a look at the boredom of the players on our pre-season tour:

It is a tale of DVD's, iPods and sheer mind-numbing boredom for the majority of the players once they have done their training for the day.

Some are lucky enough to be selected for charity or sponsor events, which are viewed as precious opportunities to escape the hotel for just a couple of hours. But those left behind have little else to do, other than run up phone bills, but even attempts to call home are hampered by the + 7 hour time difference.

Today was due to be golf day for the players, but the weather has taken the shine off that plan.

Although most will still head for the course, it won't be so much fun with the rain pouring down. Other than the oppressive humidity – a clingy 89 per cent today – the United contingent could be fooled for believing they were already back in Manchester.

That will not be the case until July 31, though. From Kuala Lumpur, the team heads to Seoul on the club's private plane on Wednesday – on a draining seven-hour flight – before further stops in Hangzhou and Munich.

So just another week-and-a-half of films, long hours and airport VIP lounges.