Scrutinising Sir Alex Ferguson’s team sheet for the first time shortly after 7.15pm on Monday night many Reds were reminded of that old John Cleese jibe. You know the one about it not being the despair, but the hope that he could not stand. Mercifully, for those fans suffering under the strain of the Premier League run-in, all hope was swiftly killed by Sir Alex’ selection. Not for the first time supporters can be thankful to the great man, although far from the manner in which many have become accustomed over the past 25 years.
The team selection was, after all, patently absurd to those who stood in bars or on terraces and observed, mouths collectively aghast, as the Scot sought to meet Manchester City’s vibrancy and athleticism with a quartet of players unfit for the task. Fortunate, then, for those desperate to end the pain of hope that Ferguson should compound his irresistible urge to tinker by moving United’s better players around, or indeed, out of the team altogether.
What amusement Sir Alex must have found in deploying Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Ryan Giggs and Park Ji-Sung – each of whom was so undercooked for United’s biggest game of the season that it was unfair to expect anything less than sub-par performances. How the Scot japed when dropping Antonio Valencia and Danny Welbeck, or shifting 33 goal striker Wayne Rooney away from the deeper position in which he has flourished this season.
Except the joke was all on supporters who gathered in the hope that United could stop City’s oil-fueled juggernaut for this season at least. It quickly turned to despair.
It is hard to point the finger of criticism at players – it is not the United way. After all, many of these players were placed in an impossibly difficult position.
Smalling was drafted in as an emergence centre back following Jonny Evans’ injury against the Toffees last weekend. The former Fulham defender has suffered with injury recently, starting a league game for the first time this year at Eastlands. It was hardly the youngster’s fault, but Smalling’s rustiness was exposed repeatedly on the night, not least by Vincent Kompany’s 45th minute winning goal.
With one enforced change in defence it made little sense to willingly foist another upon the team. Jones has suffered a nightmare run-in, with injuries and a dramatic loss of form hampering the teenager’s progress in all of the three positions that Ferguson has deployed the 19-year-old.
In truth Jones was a bizarre choice at right-back, selected apparently for his height, but displaying all the ‘headless chicken’ qualities that had fans mocking comparisons with the late, great, Duncan Edwards. Shouts of “Duncan! Duncan!” rang around one bar packed with more than 500 Reds on each occasion Jones’ first touch was heavy, and the second was inevitably a tackle.
Meanwhile, Rafael was dropped after one poor performance in the past three months – that against Everton last weekend. In truth it was the kind of slack defensive show that Ferguson’s favourite lieutenant Patrice Evra has descended to on an almost weekly basis.
Yet, the United manager’s odd team selection didn’t end with the back-four. In midfield Ferguson drafted in both Giggs and Park – two players who have between them produced zero stellar performances this season. The Welshman is a genuine legend in an era when that superlative is greatly abused. But, it is a painful truth to admit that the 39-year-old has also suffered, by some considerable distance, his worst ever season in a United shirt.
Good job for those still burdened with hope, Cleese might add, that Giggs was made to “run up and down the bloody touchline” by Ferguson – the very the role United’s manager admitted four years ago that the Welshman could no longer perform.
And if Giggs’ 75 per cent pass completion rate was not wasteful enough, then Sir Alex followed up the Welshman’s inclusion by deploying Park – a player whose one-time epithet of ‘three lungs’ now looks embarrassingly wayward. Thankfully, the former PSV player only touched the ball 17 times – falling over more often than not, those of a crueler persuasion might add.
Unfortunately, Park’s direct competitor Yaya Touré made four times as many passes, as the Ivorian stamped his undoubted authority on the match.
Elsewhere Rooney was moved from the ‘hole’, disrupting a vibrant and productive partnership with Welbeck, and forcing the Scouser to plough a very lonely furrow up front. Meanwhile, United’s most productive player in recent months, Valencia, was dropped for the supposedly more defensively secure Park. It beggared belief.
Yet, none of this really mattered compared to the style in which United played; negative, scared and inhibited. This too was not the United way, and it was becoming neither of players nor manager to perform in fashion that yielded not a single shot on target all night. It was the first time that United had stooped to that particular low in more than three years.
In truth, although Ferguson had vehemently proclaimed otherwise pre-match, United sought nothing more than parity with City and paid a stiff penalty. Ferguson’s team got the defeat the selection, tactics and attitude fully deserved.
Patently, the Scot did not trust a midfield pairing of Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes that had been over-run by Everton the weekend before. With good reason – Scholes’ 37-year-old legs looked their age against the Merseysiders for the first time since the midfielder’s reintroduction to the United team in January. Carrick, outstanding all season, retreated into his shell.
On the night the pair simply could not cope with City’s energy, even if the pass completion ratio was at more than 90 per cent. That neither player made more than 50 successful passes tells a more pertinent story though. Carrick has exceeded 100 numerous times this season, but was unable to exert any control over proceedings on Monday night.
If parking the bus was designed to gain United a point then fans can ask whether the Reds genuinely held a contingency plan? After all, Valencia did not enter the field until the game was almost up, while Ashley Young saw just six minutes of action. United’s caution, as Roberto Mancini astutely observed in the aftermath, was the side’s undoing. City simply wanted victory more.
Little wonder that Ferguson was apoplectic on the sidelines. But it is not unfair to suggest that his ire was directed inwards, and towards neither Mancini, nor the officials. The Scot’s team selection universally backfired, while the tactical approach has brought little bar condemnation.
Moreover, failure at Eastlands simply compounds the real problem this season – United is likely to lose the Premier League title not solely because of double-defeat to City, but through dropped points against Blackburn Rovers, Everton and Wigan Athletic. In each United was exposed both by the opposition and outrageous complacency. The team has proven itself simply not good enough to play with conceit.
The words of a spoilt generation, some will argue. But few Reds want a return to, say, the 1980s when United was subservient not to City, but Liverpool. Yet, this is the doomsday scenario prompted by such comprehensive defeat.
As more than one observer mused today, City’s victory and probable title win could be the springboard for a period of domination. The club will be able to strengthen from a very healthy position, removing any dead wood and unwanted distractions, while leveraging Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth to acquire almost any player available.
Meanwhile, United is quite obviously playing catch-up, with Ferguson at the very limit of his almost limitless power to extract far more than the sum of the parts from his squad. When the greatest manager in the game’s history also makes calamitous mistakes, as he did on Monday, everything falls apart.
City’s victory may be a portent of things to come. United has lost 11 times this season, while exiting four cup competitions at an early stage. It is likely to be United’s first trophyless season for eight years. That glorious run is to Ferguson’s eternal credit during an era of Glazer-inspired parsimony that has eroded the squad’s quality-in-depth.
Nobody should question Ferguson’s ability, but his choices on Monday were proven disastrously wrong. Unfortunately, the talent available is such that United no longer has a margin for error.
And if – it still remains an “if” – United is to end the campaign without silverware then the nightmare scenario of Liverpool, City and perhaps even Chelsea each claiming glory at home or abroad will remind supporters of a certain generation that the club has no divine right to victory. There is no shame coming second as long as there is a strategy to compete.
And that is the rub, of course. Fans fear, with ample evidence, that United simply cannot or will not compete with rivals in the Premier League or Europe. Queue, cynics might add, the soon-to-come proclamations of a belief in youth, the lack of value in the market, or the apparent talent in droves held by Park, Anderson, Michael Owen, Bébé or any other under-performing budget purchase.
But eventually fans will shake off Monday’s disappointment. Slowly, optimism will return, even if the Premier League trophy is paraded in front of Manchester Town Hall on a Blue open-top bus.
Whatever the summer brings, eventually hope will raise its head once again; the despair of Monday night forgotten. Until, of course, the next occasion on which United turns out, without truly turning up. It’s the hope that hurts the most.
Hope and despair
(85 posts) (14 voices)-
Posted 1 year ago #
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dozer
Member
Fergie is suffering from a bit of Wengerism, he overrates his own players. I'm not sure what he's got against the twins, they're our best talents and they should be playing more, not Jones.
Fabio is going out on loan, but why? We don't have enough natural full backs at the club. Evra isn't getting any younger. Jones will benefit hugely from a loan deal. He's talented that lad but currently crap.
Young, Smalling and De Gea have done well, 3 buys out of 4 turned out well so far. But where are our midfielders?
Pogba leaving can be a blessing in disguise for our team, the last thing we need is an undercooked midfield player playing more next season. If Giggs and Scholes are on end end of the age scale, Pogba is be on the other. I'd rather he stayed and went on loan, but if he wants to leave, let him go.Hopefully next season Cleverley will play more, he seems ready and hungry and most importantly, good enough to be given a chance.
My unrealistic expectations are for Anderson to be sold, Jones to be loaned, Fabio to stay and us getting an establised DM, and a upcoming left back. Oh and 4-3-3 please. We lose out to the stronger teams because the battle is lost at midfield. Didn't we win the champions league with this formation?
Sir Ryan Giggs? No no no. Sir Paul Scholes say.Posted 1 year ago # -
Drew
Member
Posted by unregistered user: DrewCompletely agree with you mate. United have always, always, always played with a verve and attacking intent that has been the envy of almost every club in the world, and certainly of the clubs in this country. The fact that Ferguson didn’t feel that his team was good enough to compete with City playing that style is depressing enough, but his lack of faith in certain players is even more worrying. He clearly doesn’t trust Rooney to put in a defensive performance in the number 10 role, and like you say, Rafael getting dropped after one poor performance was grossly unfair, particularly with Jones’ dramatic dip in form. What does that say to Rafa? One bad performance and you’re out? And what now for Rooney? In my opinion, he doesn’t quite have what it takes to play the number 10 like Ozil and Silva, but until United get a player of real quality in that position he will have to, but then again Fergie clearly doesn’t trust him in that position in games of real importance. Hopefully people won’t be appeased by another summer of sub-standard performance in the transfer market and ‘making do’…
Posted 1 year ago # -
Denton Davey
Member Posted by unregistered user: Denton DaveyAnother match dominated by the absence of DarrenFletcherinho. As much as CaptainVidic has been missed, the impact from the enforced-absence of the “football genius” has been much, much greater. Now, rumour has it, he’s going to retire. If UTD sign one player in the summer then it has to be a “replacement” for Fletcher to give drive and bite to the engine-room.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Rob MacGregor
Member Posted by unregistered user: Rob MacGregorThis team have let us down in the Champions League,against Bilbao,against Crystal Palace and have lost their way.I am not optimistic against Swansea,and certainly not against Sunderland.Even if Newcastle beat or draw with the ‘Yahoos’.
This is the lowest point I have been since we were relegated.
Last chance will be the new signings.Of course I expect there to be ‘No Value’ in the market and other excuses.
Well the future’s not bright,the future’s Glazer and he’s a pain.I hope this team does not have an adverse effect on the manager’s health.They have on the rest of us.Posted 1 year ago # -
eltricolor2014
Member Posted by unregistered user: eltricolor2014I wonder if SAF would have fielded a more robust team if United only ponied up for Sniejder. Seriously, faults will always be with youngters (Jones, Smalling, Rafael, Evans to some degree) and they are improving but we have such a poor and uncreative midfield. God Bless Scholes but only he could do so much against a City midfield trio and Toure running unstoppable. Still, I thought SAF would have fielded the team that beat City in the FA round in Jan. but as you might recall, City was without Toure in that game. How different would it be with Javi Garcia as defensive midfielder and a Hazard/Cleverly combo up front? It all depends if Glazers are willing to spend the money. They certainly weren’t willing with Sniejder.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Phantom
Member Posted by unregistered user: PhantomHow we as fans see all this things and Fergie doesn’t is amazing. How did Giggs play 90 mins for the 2nd game in a row while being our worst player? As has been said, he knows City have a better squad and was not confident in taking them on head-on man for man.
The sad part is there is no money to strengthen. He is never really trusted and allowed to learn from his mistakes.Jones has been nothing but horrific in recent weeks. He could even have thrown Tony V at RB for fucks sake. Jones excelled at CB from Blackburn but I cannot recall a game he played there.
If we could sign some players(we can’t), I’d go for maybe a Mario Goetze, an LB that the scouts SHOULD have in mind, M’Villa, and Higuain. Out: Owen, Anderson,Jones(loan),Park,Macheda,Bebe.Almost 0% chance of any of the signings happening. City will definitely strengthen as we know. It’s okay to have hope…Posted 1 year ago # -
Alfonso Bedoya
Moderator
There's a lot of complaining going around... and a lot of finger pointing.
It simply amazes me, some of the stick Ferguson is getting on this site... and Jones??? ridiculous.
Jones is just a kid... one for the future who showed enough early promise to get more games than he's actually ready for... but I've no doubt at all, that in a couple years, he'll be a monster player for United...
But getting back to Ferguson... the fickle nature of some of the fans here makes me cringe... he's a cunt, he's a genius, he's a senile cunt, he's a genius, etc...
Go back to the off season, and check out the ridiculous optimism about transfers...
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/232898/-100m-to-rebuild-Manchester-United/... and everyone had heavy wood, how that was going to be spent... then fell into fits of laughter, when all we got was Young, and Jones.
Last year, every one was claiming we overachieved, and we wouldn't get away with it again... but what do you know??? we're top again... without any real improvement... that's down to Ferguson... this team has no business competing with City... and you all expected us to finish second best to them before the season started... so why then, when they beat us 1-0 on their patch, are you all pissing and moaning? You can say Ferguson made a mess of it, if you want... but once again, you make all your arguments with hindsight... most of you expected us to get hammered...
We didn't lose the title last night... last night should have been an irrelevance... we lost it at home to Everton... but even that isn't the real issue.
Ferguson has taken this team, which is almost universally accepted as average at best by United standards, and kept us competitive... that is nothing short of a fuckin miracle.
Without Rooney, and Scholes, and our defence we are a shit team... SHIT!!!
But you lot go ahead and point your pudgy little fingers at Rooney,(26 goals)... and Jones,(18 years old)... and Ferguson,(tied for top with 2 games left, with this squad of geriatrics, and average talent)... if it makes you feel better...
"Badges, to god-damned hell with badges! We have no badges. In fact, we don't need badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges, you god-damned cabrón and ching' tu madre! Come out from that shit-hole of yours. I have to speak to you."Posted 1 year ago # -
sheesh
Member
To be fair, Alf, I think you overstate the extent of what we have 'achieved'.
Let's face it, it's been a poor season for the top teams if we're talking about the standard of football. Arsenal and Chelsea have been average and only got their acts together later on in the season. Tottenham over-achieved and then, predictably, collapsed. Yet these sides are still far better than the rest of the dross in the league simply because their squads are still ahead of the lesser sides. Liverpool have stood still under Dalglish.
I think we did well in spite of our injuries but having that experience to just hang in there has probably made a difference between battling for the title and scrapping for top 4.
As I said last night, I believe City would have won the league much sooner had Tevez not kicked off and had they not had problems with Balotelli.
Newcastle are one of the few teams that have genuinely impressed me this season. They've shown a lot of character in terms of winning when not playing well but also playing some really good football in other matches as well.
A season where City (could) end up winning the league, Chelsea win FA Cup and/or Champions League, Vermin could win the FA Cup to go with the League Cup - whilst we could end up with nothing. Look at our own performances in those competitions. That's a poor season, right there.
Posted 1 year ago # -
bman
Member
Yeah I agree with that, Alf. also, Carrick and Rooney were both excellent last night, it's ridiculous to say they weren't. Maybe Rooney less so towards the end, but by that stage our formation was pretty improvised. He was keen, penetrative, hungry in the first half, just had no support. Bu when you look at our midfield: Giggs, park, and Scholes had no right being there, they are the simply because there's no one else. Literally no one else, except Cleverly, but perhaps he was crocked since he didn't even make the bench.
I feel like I'm usually contradicting the majority on here come the end of the season in terms of how many players we need, but now it really is dire. No midfield reinforcements last year, when I was we'd get at least one. Then Fletch has to quit, then clevery gets injured for the whole season, then Ando proves once and for all to be worthless, then Pogba decides to fuck off. I looked at that line up last night, and we were a team held together with string and sticking tape.
Posted 1 year ago # -
bman
Member TBH I don't even care that much if we win the league somehow now. city are the best team, everyone knows it, and they've proven it in both our league matches. Winning now would feel like winning on a technicality, and would be a damning indictment of Mancini, because that team is clearly less than the sum of its parts, their squad should have left ours in the dust.
This season we've gone from being "weak for a Utd side" to being fundamentally broken in midfield. Barca thrashed us twice with their midfield dominance, and we've done nothing to fix the situation. Now these season any decent team in Europe with a strong midfield and a decent manager has us completely figured out. We're like Arsenal -- we place well in the league, but come the big games you know the top sides have their number (less so this season because some of the other top sides in the PL are equally flawed in key areas).
I can accept not winning things, I can't accept the club just going to shit without making any serious effort to save itself while 40-50 million quid a year is pissed away on debt, or even more.
Posted 1 year ago # -
shuddertothink
Member Posted by unregistered user: shuddertothinkThis is an excellent piece, Ed. I think you gave it exactly the right tone.
There is an awful lot that could be said about United’s medium to long term strategy, not a lot of it would be overly positive.
If you have say 3 needs in the squad that could be filled with purchases in order to compete, what would those needs be in your opinion? Or, is it more than that?
I was almost stunned by United’s lack of intent to, if not attack, then at least be better in keeping possession, pressure the opposition. I have never seen you guys play like that in a Premier League fixture before, so passive and an almost shy acceptance that the opposition were superior to yourselves. Very Strange
Posted 1 year ago # -
shuddertothink
Member Posted by unregistered user: shuddertothinkAlfonso, I agree about where the title was not so much as lost, but where Man Utd’s grip on it was loosened. It’s home form. The City result was a freak result and this is being said by a City fan, just a weird freak result. But, Blackburn at home, Everton at home, Newcastle at home were results that could and should have been avoided.
In the last 9 years the team with the best overall home form has gone on to win the Premier League. It’s at home, where Utd have been, at times, complacent that the league was lost.
It wasn’t lost in last nights game, which was always going to be a tough game. It was lost amid the slackness and the complacency of the Blackburn defeat and the 4-4 last week
Posted 1 year ago # -
uncleknobheadffs
Member
the last half an hour was horrific, between mancini making fergie look like a cunt on the touchline, rooney visibly giving up, fergie again slumping into his chair looking out of ideas in a massive game, pointless phelan next to him yawning, us trying to build up a head of steam and yet not being allowed out of our own half, or even out of the corner for what mustve been about four minutes, their players fucking laughing and joking with the subs as they take throw ins,at no point were they put under pressure, we're gone and they know it, they battered utd in every way except the scoreline, which they'd already done at ot
LKHM
hoofingPosted 1 year ago # -
Herbie Simms
Member Posted by unregistered user: Herbie SimmsSorry but SAF is to blame for the tactics he used in the game against Man City. The whole world is talking about that! Yes I agree he has down a great job with an average team and put us again at the top of the league. But he has made some very bad team selections throughout the season and if it was not for this, we would have already won the EPL by now. There is no excuse to be 8 points clear at this point of the season and then go and blow it all. This is unheard of at Man United, I will not accept this and its time for SAF to retire. Okay, SAF is now saying that he is going to spend heavily this summer on new players. Well if thats the case, I will give him another season in charge because I know he wants to win another Champions League title before he retires and the players he intends to bring in, we will be very strong come next season. But the question for me still remains. At 71 years old, can he get his team selection and tactics right to produce a team that can win trophies? Has he or is he slowly losing his touch? Time will tell. We can still win the EPL as there is more drama to come.
Posted 1 year ago # -
uncleknobheadffs
Member too much stick for giggsy, fergie hung him out to dry, he's not been a proper winger since about 2004, especially not a 433 one who's gotta quickly get up and support, he's a scheming creative sort now, and he's still our most creative in the middle of the park, passing stats have never mattered with him cause he tries clever stuff that our other bland side shuffling players couldn't dream of
Posted 1 year ago # -
Gabagool
Member Posted by unregistered user: GabagoolA sad but very true appraisal of Monday’s game.
Apparently Eden Hazard was at the game watching, who do you reckon he’s gonna sign for now? Not that shite in red I’ll bet.
If we don’t spend money in the summer and being in some real quality I honestly think we’ll be fighting for a top 4 spot next year, we dodged a lot of bullets this year and won’t get away with it again.
Oh, and Park should NEVER play for us again.Posted 1 year ago # -
19 and Counting
Member
Commenter said:
A sad but very true appraisal of Monday’s game.
Apparently Eden Hazard was at the game watching, who do you reckon he’s gonna sign for now? Not that shite in red I’ll bet.
If we don’t spend money in the summer and being in some real quality I honestly think we’ll be fighting for a top 4 spot next year, we dodged a lot of bullets this year and won’t get away with it again.
Oh, and Park should NEVER play for us again.Fergie got the team selection wrong for sure. How many games have Giggs, PArk and Smalling played in the last few months? And to leave out Valencia and Welbeck and perhaps AY who have all shown great form? No, we sat back and gave City the title. We should have played our best 11 from the get-go and went at City. If we would have lost so be it at least we gave it our all. FErgie went with experience and the guys who have done it for him before...but the past is the past and it's time to move on.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Marlon
Member Posted by unregistered user: MarlonAs for signings I’d like to see Kagawa from Dortmund or Belhander from Montpellier as a creative midfielder. Another left winger seems sensible so Rodriguez from Porto or Munain from Bilbao although Ayew from Marseille might be more likely with his ability to play as a CM as well. As a DM Martinez from Bilbao or M’Vila from Rennes.
I think we can manage three from that list for less than £50 million, get £10 million from sales and we have a similar picture to last summer.
Personally, I don’t think Munain or Martinez will come. The competition for M’Vila will see us outbid. Kagawa is on his last year of contract so he looks likely for less than £20 million. Ayew has the advantage over Rodriguez in terms of utility and so would be better value at £15-20 million. So we just have to pray Fergie can fish a DM out of nowhere.Posted 1 year ago # -
Marlon
Member Posted by unregistered user: MarlonCan’t believe how much stick fergie is taking. ‘time to retire’. you’ve got to be joking. Firstly, who is better for man utd? People say the choices he made were wrong in the city game, but the stats tell a different story. city had 26 crosses – only Kompany connected with his cross. Aguero – their top scorer – did not have a shot on target. Whilst we did not have a shot on target (can’t defend that) we had a few breaks which were wasted on bad decision-making. Had we gone 4-4-1-1 as we have this season it would have been man for man against city. How many of those battles do we win? At best you can say its a lottery – who scores most. Fergie did not want to leave what had become our game of the season to chance.
This season he has largely played 4-4-1-1, but whenever we have lost it has been because our midfield being overrun. Any time we have played 4-5-1 I can’t remember a good performance, but I think we have won most of them and that is what we needed against City. It was not the time to plant a flag and show off. We needed a result and were one mistake away.There were some odd decisions in terms of personal – park had not played for 6 weeks, jones’ second half of the season has been poor. Valencia is our most reliable player, in terms of offensive production and defensive diligence. With Giggs, he has experience and that touch of genius as our best substitute for an attacking creative midfielder. But whenever he plays, I feel like the team is carrying him – not something this team can afford – he does not track back or contribute defensively, so maybe not a starter when our game plan was to counter, not dominate.
Smalling hadn’t played for 4 weeks, but what choice did he have, between him and jones I know who I trust.
So with that formation, who else can you play?
Maybe bring in Rafael, but Jones showed his value for this game – we faced 26 crosses – clearly he aerial battle was an important one. That we only lost one justifies his selection.
In midfield, bring in Valencia for Giggs. Can’t see a downside to that. Sure no one has Giggs’ experience but his pace would have been great on the counter, and his stamina in closing down players would have helped. For Park, literally the only option is cleverley. He is clearly not match fit though as Fergie has been so reluctant to use him and as we remember from the start of the season, defensively atrocious. Not sure how much we can blame Fergie for trusting Park, Giggs and Jones – three players who have always performed when it counts for Fergie.For the future, things are not so bad. Our youngsters have gained a lot of experience this season and will be better next season. If our yardstick is City I suppose they have less room for improvement (isn’t that depressing) as their squad is largely mid to late 20′s and their younger stars have already had full and impressive seasons elsewhere. Yes they will now have the confidence of champions (I may kill myself) and the understanding between them will grow but ( I got nothing). They will also spend loads of money.
Anyway, i’d be surprised if Giggs and Scholes stayed for another season. Fletch may or may not retire, Berbatov is leaving, as will Pogba, Park and Owen. Hopefully Bebe won’t come back. Personally, I want anderson to stay. He (still) has potential, but like cleverley will never fit a 4-4-2. And Vidic will comeback, which will be huge. Not the injury we needed when breaking in a new 19 year-old ‘keeper.
I think the future has to be 4-5-1, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 – whatever you want to call it. Carrick has impressed in the holding role this season, and if Fletch doesn’t return will need a partner from the transfer market (ando will never adapt). For our creative midfielder we could let anderson and cleverley have a go, put Rooney there or sign someone. Can’t see the money for two top players being available and we need a DM much more, even if Fletcher returns.
With only one up front, we don’t need to replace Berba and Owen. Welbeck, Rooney and Hernandez is enough – if we want a fourth, promote someone or keep owen. Our defence is sorted for the future – we have a very talented young back five available. If fergie is going to continually play evra every game then a Fabio loan is necessary – but would it be so bad to play him sometimes?I think after our recent injury problems over the last couple of seasons, maybe look at the backroom staff. Yes, things happen, but you can minimise the chances of them happening and deal with the result better. I don’t think Hargreaves was lying (even though he went over to the dark side) when he said his injury was mismanaged. A fit squad seems half the battle these days.
In terms of formation this season Fergie has been hamstrung since our injuries hit. He started the season playing anderson and cleverley and the two CMs in a 4-4-2. Crazy. playing two attacking midfielders as your centre mids. And the result was as expected. Goals galore at both ends. We were allowing the most shots in the league. Since the injuries, he has stuck with 4-4-2 as whenever he experimented with 4-5-1, it was an obvious case of square pegs in round holes.
The renaissance under Scholes has been impressive, but only because (up until Everton and city) people forgot about last season and decided to let him have space. This will not last.
So we need a top CM to be bought and maybe a few utility players to fill out the squad (in midfield and attack).The experience Evans has gained over the season is invaluable as you never know when Rio will get an injury and Fergie is already managing his appearances to one a week – not ideal if you want a stable back four playing twice a week chasing 3 trophies (no one cares about the Carling Cup). If you look at a utd 1st xi that could be playing in 5-10 years, outside of the centre of midfield,the future looks strong:
De Gea (20) Rafael (21) Evans (23) Smalling (21) Fabio (21) Valencia (25) Anderson (23) Cleverley (22) Nani (26) Rooney (26) Welbeck (21). And then there is also Jones (20) and Hernandez (23) and excluding our youngsters in the reserves and academy. So there is huge reason to have hope for the future. All we need is one or two great CMs and we are sorted.Between unloading all of the contracts this summer and our standard transfer budget we should be able to manage at least on world class player. I know there is hate for the Glazers (I’m on that bandwagon) and whilst they have not poured money into the squad, we spent about £40 million net last year, only our second season at +£30 million (the other was in 08/09 under the glazers).
98/99 was our first year spending more than £5 million net (player value inflation I know). Looks like they have learnt from their first two years in charge (see below) and Ronaldo aside the spend has been good considering the success the current squad was having.
98/99 26 Title
99/00 16 Title C.L. win
00/01 -8 Title
01/02 29
02/03 27 Title
03/04 13
04/05 21
05/06 1 1st Glazer Year
06/07 4 Title
07/08 27 Title C.L. Win
08/09 34 Title C.L. Final
09/10 -65 Title C.L. Semi
10/11 14 Title C.L. Final
11/12 38There is money and they are willing to spend.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Murfinhio88
Member Posted by unregistered user: Murfinhio88Would really love to know what fergie has up his sleeve for the summer.. I mean our midfield options at the moment consists of Carrick, Scholes(37, out of contract in the summer), Giggs(39), Fletcher(Ill, possibly retiring), Anderson(Injury prone, fat, not very good at football), Cleverly(Injury prone, unproven), Pogba(Leaving), Park(Declining, struggles to keep posession and his balance) and Jones(Three sheets to the wind).. And supposedly only 25 million to spend!! Midfield could be a barren place next season.. Transfer window always fills me with hope though, despair can wait until September the first..
Posted 1 year ago # -
Marlon – thanks for the essay. So if its not Fergie’s fault, and the Glazers are such wonderful owners, and everything is rosy with the playing squad, why did we get dumped out of four competitions early, and will likely lose the league to our closest rivals?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Will
Member Posted by unregistered user: WillHave to agree. Jones is copping some rather unfair criticism. He was the great new hope only a few months ago. I think United have done OK this season in the league given the age of the squad, both at the bottom and top end. I would be interested to hear United fans in a fortnight should City blow it and we pick up the requisite 6 points.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Marlon
Member Posted by unregistered user: MarlonThanks for twisting my words. We were very unfortunate with injuries this season, with our captain and our best Cm from 2009- present out for the season. That’s before you consider the various injury crises we’ve had this season. We saw what happened to City without Yaya and Kompany for just a few games.
And yes, without the Glazers debt we could easily spend £60 million + per season, but I think there is something to be said of having a club philosophy, but its useless if you abandon it as soon as a challenge come along. Like I said we have a lot of good young players. This year was a transitional year where we blooded a young keeper and promoted some young talent to the 1st XI and lost a handful of experienced players. We could have handled that without the injuries.So Fergie – he’s made some mistakes over the season but no more than usual. We usually don’t have injuries like this though. I think he’s done a good job with the players available. Maybe he could have foreseen the Fletcher problem in the summer, but much of that depends on what the player is telling you about how he feels. I also think he has an eye on retirement with this squad. In three years the young squad i Had above will all be mid-20s and entering their prime. He knows he’s a tough act to follow and he’s trying to give his successor a young strong squad, which requires giving young players experience – or we could do a City and spend 500 million on the squad. It is a case of papering over the cracks, but I think he would of pulled a title of without the injuries and more importantly there is an end game to all this papering.
So a couple of signings, our young players with a year of experience at United under their belts and providing our medical staff get their act together, I have no worries about underperformance for next season or beyond, at least until Fergie retires.For losing it all, i’m gonna blame injuries (doesn’t matter how deep your squad is, you will miss your best defender and CM). Carling Cup (who cares?) but complacency, playing a young squad – can you blame Fergie for that? In the FA cup against Liverpool away (a side that have become a cup team) without our best defender and rio our best CM, no nani and no rooney, they beat us with a goal in the 88th minute. Fine margins.
The CL was like a slow motion car crash. I guess if there was something I blame Fergie for it is his team selection in Europe. But in his defence, he was facing a very strong challenge from our biggest domestic rivals in the league and he made it a priority – it almost worked. I imagine he thought we would get through, but I doubt he would have believed we were going to win this year and no one remembers the team on 2nd place.In the PL we almost did it. 4-2 up against Everton. 2 goals in the last 5. If there is complacency and arrogance in the squad that can only be layer at the manager’s feet. It was more telling in the Europa league where our CL finalists looked a bit above it all – apparently being outplayed in every game didn’t wake them up.
So basically I blame injuries and retirement plans. And we need to sign a CM. Or two
Can’t believed how many excuses I made for Fergie, but he has earned it.
The only thing I am disappointed in is that he always says how much he wants to win the Champions League more, and then doesn’t take it seriously.Posted 1 year ago # -
Leif Sward
Member Posted by unregistered user: Leif SwardI can understand the team selection even if I am disappointed by it. Might be wrong but I also think that, weirdly, the one fixture a week program has not helped us. Our squad is so used to being involved with fixtures thick and fast and players rotated every game that when it came to making a tactical change to the first 11, the players were just not sharp enough physically or mentally. I don;t know if more regular game time would help Park stay upright mind…
Posted 1 year ago # -
19 and counting
Member Posted by unregistered user: 19 and countingIf its true that Pogba is leaving and fletch is retiring, then I can’t see how Fergie can continue to make excuses for not buying central mfs and spending some serious cash to get them. Surely this has to be the summer where he finally overhauls the middle of the pitch, no?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Tourettes at the KOB
Member Posted by unregistered user: Tourettes at the KOBWill,
opinions will still be the same, major investment is required if we are to keep up with the council house tennants.
Another scenario, is that that city drop points at Newcastle, then we manage to fuck it up again by not winning at Sunderland! watch and wait !!!Posted 1 year ago # -
Alfonso Bedoya
Moderator Commenter said:
If its true that Pogba is leaving and fletch is retiring, then I can’t see how Fergie can continue to make excuses for not buying central mfs and spending some serious cash to get them. Surely this has to be the summer where he finally overhauls the middle of the pitch, no?Apparently, the self centred little cunt still hasn't decided...
http://www.teamtalk.com/premier-league/7722583/Pogba-close-to-future-decision
Posted 1 year ago #
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