| Birthdate: | 08 Aug 1978 |
|---|---|
| Birthplace: | Paris, France |
| Position: | Striker |
| Appearances: | 114 |
| Joined United: | 23 Jan 2004 |
| United Debut: | 31 Jan 2004 v Southampton (H) |
| International | France |
The celebratory champagne quaffed after clinching the Premiership title probably had a bitter-sweet taste for United’s French international striker, who experienced yet another Old Trafford season that swung from high to low.
In fact, so regularly has his trajectory switched direction since he signed in January 2004 in a £12.85 million deal from Fulham, the graph of Saha’s time at United career almost resembles a footballing version of snakes and ladders.
The 2006/07 season started with great promise – carrying on exactly where he’d left off last term (when he bagged 14 goals in 30 starts).
Goals against Fulham and Charlton Athletic early on in the Premiership – as well as a crucial Champions League strike against Benfica in Lisbon set the tone and he was absent from the starting line-up in just six of United’s games before the festive period. His exemplary form drew praise from the boss, who highlighted both his pace and bravery. “When he puts all the parts of his game together he is an excellent player, and now he is on a great goalscoring run as well,” said Sir Alex.
However, despite other notable achievements – highlights included November’s strike against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park which proved the only goal of the game and an extremely nifty finish against Chelsea in the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford – Saha’s fortunes changed after Christmas. A succession of niggling injuries put paid to a regular run in the side, and he was forced to sit out the final nine matches of the season, making his swansong in March’s victory over Liverpool at Anfield.
He remains something of an enigma at Old Trafford – a player of undoubted potential who has yet to really fulfil it. The man himself, who scored on his Reds' debut against Southampton in January 2004, remains as confident as you would expect a graduate of France’s fabled
Clairfontaine Academy to be. “I’ve got so much pent-up energy I want to get out of my system,” he avers. “I feel like I’ve got something to prove again.”
Let’s hope he’s fit and raring to achieve that as the defence of our crown begins in earnest in August.
reference: http://www.manutd.com
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