PASS THE BALL

Last updated : 22 September 2002 By Editor

From The NOTW:

"Obviously he wouldn't have scored 36 goals last season if he hadn't been a wee bit selfish.

"But there are times when he could release the ball better and I've told him that.

"Ruud thinks that if he is not scoring then he is not contributing — and I have spoken to him about that as well.

"I sat him down and said: ‘Don't worry if you are not scoring.

"But the real difficulty is that he's a finisher and he wants to score every goal in every game we play.

"And when he doesn't score he comes off angry with himself and he gets himself down.

"That's why the most pleasing thing about our 5-2 Champions League win over Maccabi Haifa last Wednesday was not Ruud's goal but his assist for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's strike.

"It was a clever pass, a midfielder's pass really, and a magnificent finish from Ole, a real velvet touch."