When Bill Clinton successfully beat George H. W. Bush senior to the White House in 1992, the former Governor of Arkansas did so seemingly against the odds. The end of the Cold War, and conflict in Iraq, ensured foreign policy dominated the headlines at a time of intense national pride. But in assessing the contest, Clinton’s chief strategist James Carville correctly determined that it was not the collapse of the Soviet Union, nor Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, that would determine the November 1992 election, but the dollar in ordinary Americans’ pocket.
It was, to paraphrase the sign hanging on Clinton’s Little Rock campaign office, the economy, stupid, that would send the Arkansan to office. Clinton’s win, barely a year after Bush had received 90 per cent approval ratings in the polls, was gained on a more nuanced understanding of Americans’ needs than his predecessor could ever muster.
Six weeks after Manchester United’s humiliation in the derby, one wonders whether the club, like Bush, is on the precipice of acceding to a superior force. In Europe, given the result against FC Basel on Wednesday night, United already has.
In the period since City scored six at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side has seemingly become ever more recalcitrant, stubbornly grinding out single goal victories – domestically at least. In the face of an ever-growing injury list, with the side’s rhythm broken by recurring absentees, United’s ability to win ‘when playing poorly’ is – as the old cliché goes – the stuff of champions. Points gained now could well have a significant impact come May, even in the darkness of the ‘morning after the night before’.
Yet, United’s performances since 23 October have been mired in the kind of sparkle-less midfield performance that – aside from a short period at the current campaign’s start – has become increasingly the norm. A new emphasis on midfield structure, built around the admirable Michael Carrick, and not the injured Tom Cleverley’s pass-and-move creativity, has replaced the free-flowing football played in August and early September. In truth those memories are now long gone; August an exception that proves the rule.
This observation is not new – supporters and pundits alike have complained of a glaring weakness in Ferguson’s squad for years. Paul Scholes, ageing and increasingly pushed to the margins, always needed replacing. Roy Keane and Owen Hargreaves are long gone. Ferguson’s midfield is, even for the most optimistic Reds, at least two high-class players short.
Increasingly, Ferguson has taken to experimentation in search of a solution. Wayne Rooney, Phil Jones, Ryan Giggs and Park Ji-Sung have each been deployed in central midfield in recent games. The position is unnatural to all of them.
And so to Wednesday, when United crashed and burned at St Jackob-Park, and Ferguson’s side was sent packing into the ignominy of the Europa League. In midfield Ryan Giggs and Phil Jones made up the odd-couple central midfield.
The Scot’s outfit did almost everything bar score the required goals, but in truth most supporters will have seen this coming. And in assessing the devastating loss, thoughts necessarily turn inwards, for this has been a failure of the club’s own making.
“It is embarrassing to be in the Europa League,” defender Patrice Evra said succinctly.
“I play for Manchester United to be in the Champions League. It’s a catastrophe. We feel very sad but we deserve to go out. “It’s a big disappointment. Since I played with Monaco, I’ve never been out in the first round. We played with fire. Against Basel at home we were winning 2-0 and we drew against Benfica as well. It’s not about tonight, it’s about the competition. We threw away that qualification. We should have woken up earlier in this competition.
“It feels like a dream. I feel I will wake up tomorrow and we will have qualified. But it is not a dream, it is the reality. Even if it is a friendly, when I pull on a United shirt I do my best to win that trophy. I play for Manchester United to play in the Champions League but some players dream of playing for United in any competition and you have to respect that.”
The question now is not whether the “embarrassment” will provoke a “response,” as Ferguson put it post match – supporters can expect no less – but specifically what that might be. For surely the United manager cannot believe his side did not try hard enough, or has more to give? Many supporters will argue that the response, if there is to be one, must come in the market to address the structural problems in the Scot’s squad.
It is worrying, then, that the Glazer family is unwilling to release funds this winter for midfield reinforcements, if the word on the street, currently doing the rounds, is to be believed. It is a truism that United was interested in Internazionale’s midfielder Wesley Sneijder in the past summer, only for the deal to flounder on the Dutchman’s substantial wages. Any move for Luka Modric was ended at the conceptual stage once the Croatian’s fee was established at more than £30 million on the open market.
Across town City acquired Samir Nasri at great expense from Arsenal, adding to the exceptional talents already at Eastlands, including this season’s best player, David Silva. That City’s vast array of midfield talents contrasts so starkly with Ferguson’s meagre resources is all the more disappointing for Reds keen to stave off the rising Blue Moon. To underline City’s riches, Nasri, also a target for Ferguson in the summer, has spent much of the campaign held in reserve by Roberto Mancini.
City’s midfield quartet of Yaya Touré, James Milner, Gareth Barry, and Silva, ran rings round United at Old Trafford. Just as, one might add, Barcelona had at Wembley in May. Anderson and Darren Fletcher failed against City, just as Carrick and Giggs succumbed to the Catalans six months earlier. Benfica and Basel have demonstrated that even clubs supposedly one tier down can more than match United. One wonders how many lessons it is going to take?
How much criticism is reserved for Ferguson, who dragged his limited squad to a glorious 19th domestic title last May, depends on how far you believe he is culpable for the marked decline in his midfield resources. One version paints Ferguson as the visionary, transforming his squad through vibrant youth, and investing in Cleverley as United’s next great playmaker. An alternate casts the Scot as the Glazer family’s lickspittle; a carpetbagger’s lackey, beholden to owners that are unwilling to invest in the club’s playing resources unless costs are cut elsewhere.
Which brings us back to Clinton. In ’92 the American people, who should have been emboldened by the Cold War’s end, and impassioned with militaristic pride at the successful conflict in the Persian Gulf, instead threw out the old regime and invested in the promise of a bright young southern lawyer. Ferguson is unlikely to cast aside the dead wood in his midfield, but it is, to borrow a now hackneyed phrase, the midfield, stupid, that will ultimately end United’s quest for 20 – as it has in Europe – unless something changes. And fast.
It’s the midfield, stupid II
(64 posts) (20 voices)-
Posted 1 year ago #
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Julian
Member
Posted by unregistered user: JulianA very good summmation. I can’t help feeling though that our current situaton is a combination of quite a few things. None of our key positions is settled including goalkeeper. There’s no doubt that De Gea is a great talent in the making but surely he’s too young and inexperienced to simply walk into VDS’s position? How is someone so young able to command his penalty area and bark at his defenders when they are so much older than he is and when he does not even speak the lingo either. I think this was a fundamental error. Not the fact that we signed him because clearly that should be a good long term investment but that he took the no 1 spot immediately when perhaps the more assured and older Lindegaard should have had it. As if out of sympathy for Lindegaards position, Fergie now swaps them almost from game to game and that can’t be good either if one wants a settled and confident defence. So whilst I agree with the midfield issue which, as you say, we’ve all known about for ages, its also the defence that is an issue too. Luck has deserted Fergie too but nevertheless there’s been too much tinkering and nothing is settled. Its therefore unsurprising to find us in the position we are now in and difficult to see how we can get out of it with the personnel we have. The inability to properly invest in a team which was clearly second best to Barca is mystifying. Fergie stubbornness or Glazer parsimony or a combination of both? If it is the Glazers they should either invest in the team properly and quickly or get out.
Posted 1 year ago # -
redevil_83
Member Posted by unregistered user: redevil_83bringing up points that have been beat down a 100x already. being aware of what needs strengthening is great, but i’m not sure the gaffer is still going to take any action to address that shell of a manchester united midfield. weak mid field aside, complacency was as big a factor last night. just look at the boss’ words before the match even began. fucking travesty.
Posted 1 year ago # -
i think fergie has just been outwitted by the game. in the same way that wenger is stubborn with his philisophy without compromise, so is fergus but this time it has backfired.
it's very simple and I've said it time and time again. park, fletcher and carrick are not world class talent in their core. however if they are on form, they can produce world class displays which they have done from time to time over the past 3-4 years - in some cases such as our last UCL win Carrick and Fletcher were instrumental in that success. however when form leaves them, they are awful. that is a strategic mistake and fergie failed to either acknowledge or address this.
fergie has also failed in his purchases - bebe, tosic, ljajic, obertan, anderson, diouf have been rubbish buys.
on the other hand jones, smalling and de gea look good so not all problematic.
fergie has also indirectly ruined players - berbatov and mecheda, either through lack of playing time or bad management (may be the same thing). we wont get 30m for berbs nowm max 8m which is a terrible peice of business for a leading goal scorer last year.
Fergis is now doing the same with Rooney and Jones. Do you need any more admission of a failure of his midifield policy when he did not play Fletcher in midfield but preferred Rooney to drop deep. It's an admission of guilt - he fucked up because fletcher is in such shit form, that you would rather have Rooney in the middle that anything else - this is my point about being a good player v. a world class player; form shows you which is which.
fergie himself also does not have the player pulling power anymore. with phelan next to him I'm not sure they look like a due to work with - esp., for top class continental talent. Fergie is also loosing his bollocks by not fucking out Gibson.
Gill has also apparently lost his negotation art., with all our targets seemingling not available.
Our scouts are close to shit. how on earth can Wenger unearth the likes of Song yet we pay 18m for Anderson. Lucas cost 6m and has been a sensation for the bitters. Sandro for Spuds is quality.
Our medics are also seemingly shit - how the fuck can Hargo start playing, Wes, OShea, Saha - yet all our players are benched for months at a time. things don't add up.
Also, Fergies bullshits. Big time - I can accept no value - for those cunts who want to spunk 30m + on the likes of Andy Caroll feel free to bang on about the Glazers not giving Fergus a blank cheque book and Fergal not taking the bait. But for then, not to play the youth he promised is plain bullshitting.
If Fergus the man for the job. YES 100%.
Does he need help - YES.
Is cash the answer - Not necessarily but yes of course money will help but you need to fix a few more things then that to get us back on track.Anti-Glazer bummers can look at the example of raneiri, hughers, scolari and Grant - hell even roy keane with the amount he spunked at sunderland.
Money doesn't mean success - it gives you the tools. this is why mancini is so dangerous - he has won a title at inter, he knows what it takes to go the course.
for me its a combination of stubborness, poor investment and plain old delusion.
the crime isn't what has happened, the crime would be not to learn from it and start making some brave decisions.
Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.
Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice - Steven JobsPosted 1 year ago # -
Amy
Member Posted by unregistered user: AmyNice post. We all knew wednesdays crash was coming as we all did the city thrashing. Like the person above said, it all comes down to the absolutley mystifying fact that while Barcelona killed us in the midfield, during the summer, no major midfield signing were made. GLAZERS OUT
Posted 1 year ago # -
Swapnil
Member Posted by unregistered user: Swapnil1. rio and evra are a liability and need to be shipped off asap
2. rafael n fabio for me (i have no doubts about their talent) are never going to be 1st team material as they will never have the physical attributes necessary for the position
3. i can’t believe how poor ashley young has been since the 8-2 day.he almost never takes on the defenders,as soon as anyone comes close to him he just passes the ball back without ever trying to do anything else,will only cross when there’s like nobody closing him down in 10 yards radius around him.
4. rooney – its because of his 200000 a week wages that we can’t afford sneijder and he’s been the most uninspiring player in the squad.
5. someone needs to remind the players(except for giggs and nani maybe) that things like first touch,pressing,closing down exist in footballing tactics.
6.i always thought that the reason SAF is not buying any mid fielders is that he expects big things from pogba,morrison et al but now i am convinced that they are not as good as they are hyped to be.if they were any good they’d have been playing in the 1st team by now and not rotting in reserves
7. its time we give up 4-2-2 and start playing 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 even if we buy some quality midfielders..Posted 1 year ago # -
Bill
Member Posted by unregistered user: BillWe need to:
1. Start buying 1 quality player as opposed to 3 just above average ones.
2. Play our best XI more often, endless squad rotation is doing us no good.
3. Stop playing 4-4-2 in the big games, this is an old fashioned formation which means we are certain to lose the midfield battle.
4. Sell the average players to raise funds and wages space. Evans, Gibson, Diouf, Owen and Kusczak are not up to it.
5. Give youth a chance more often, I’d much rather see Morrison, Pogba & Fryers on the bench than some mid 20s players who clearly nothing special.
Posted 1 year ago # -
dws
Member Posted by unregistered user: dwsThis defeat will not bother the Glazers 1%. Why should they, the real money is being earned in Mayfair the H.O. of Manchester United in fuckin London. We are getting these results because the glazers have failed to invest in a small number of top quality players, principally in midfield. Manchester City will lead us a merry dance, they have the money and some of the best players in europe. I feel sorry for Fergie 70 within a couple of weeks. Hamstrung by the bastard Glazers, at least 18 months before he can even dream of another European Cup win, its going full circle – which is probably why we will win the Premier League again !!!
Posted 1 year ago # -
denton davey
Member Posted by unregistered user: denton daveyShort memories ?
This is essentially the same midfield that won the EPL again last year and would be five-peat winners if not for OneMartinAtkinsonMoment. Sure, Paul Scholes left but he was a shadow of his former self; Tom Cleverley might be as good as the late-model Scholes, even if he is a different player.
““Transition” is often used to describe this year’s UTD team – and last year’s, too, for that matter. Winning # 19 and getting to the CL final was a triumph, considering how many of the players were quite literally on their last legs.
By the end of this season, five or six of the very best players from the last twenty years will be gone – Paul Scholes, RedNev, SirRyanGiggs, Edwin, and maybe Rio and Dimmy. While I’m no fan of Berbatov, his talent is exceptional even if he hasn’t put it to good effect in his stint at UTD. That’s a lot of “replacement” that is needed in short order. So, to my way of thinking, it’s not surprising that TheLads have fallen short in Europe AND the Carling Cup. They are “struggling” in the EPL, too – I know they’re second but they’ve been dire in far too many matches.
Injuries (and suspensions) to key players haven’t helped but – honestly – UTD’s second-string should have had enough to beat the Young Boys of Basle. If you review their two goals, it’s tough to stomach – the first one happened after Captain Vidic smacked Chris Smalling and drew blood THEN the Shaquiri’s cross was perfectly redirected by De Gea to Streller who finished it off; their second goal was the result of an “After you Alphonse; no, after you Gaston” routine from Chris Smalling and David De Gea. Bad luck and inexperience which is understandable since neither one is over 21 and both are learning to play together.
However, while those two goals should not have been conceded, what was really disturbing was the truly inept “attacking play” of the veteran presence: SirRyanGiggs, Ashley Young, ThreeLungPark, and TheWayneBoy. This quarter just weren’t contributing – how little defending from the front ? how many mis-hit passes ? how many times did they run into blind alleys ? how many missed chances ? THAT was just embarrassing.
We’ve seen this before – and we’ll no doubt see it again this year and maybe next year as SAF turns over a goodly portion of the squad. Giggs should be given the heartfelt handshake and sent to join the GingerNinja in training the kids; Rio might last another year but he’s now fragile, slow, and so unreliable; Antonio Valencia and ThreeLungPark are valuable squad players but must be used judiciously and not expected to shoulder a burden
If I was making personnel decisions then Dimmy and Ashley Young would be off-loaded so that they don’t take playing time/experience away from Danny Welbeck, KikoTheKid, Ravel Morrison and Chicharito (when he returns).
These out-goings would still involve a significant change in the squad/first team that will only slowly reveal themselves. SAF has played a high-wire act – without a net – and he won that gamble last year; this year it doesnt look like he will be able to break his fall but I’d expect that the medium-term planning will possibly come-good next year (or the year after that). The alternative is just too horrible to contemplate.”
Posted 1 year ago # -
Pikey McScum
Member
Commenter said:
Nice post. We all knew wednesdays crash was coming as we all did the city thrashing. Like the person above said, it all comes down to the absolutley mystifying fact that while Barcelona killed us in the midfield, during the summer, no major midfield signing were made. GLAZERS OUTAmy?
Hi
"Sometimes you look in a field and you see a cow and you think it's a better cow than the one you've got in your own field. It's a fact. Right? And it never really works out that way."Posted 1 year ago # -
RobDiablo
Member
Commenter said:
Short memories ?No. Good eyesight and a functioning brain are enough to tell me (and several others) that there is something terribly wrong with Manchester United. There are combinations of circumstances that will allow United to win a 20th League title this season, but, like last season, most of these scenarios involve United's title rivals mysteriously and spontaneously combusting, imploding, or disintegrating. If it happens, however, this season's squad will have to compete with last season's for the "worst side to win the Premiership" award. Mediocre players playing ugly football is NOT the United way.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Gopher Brown
Member Posted by unregistered user: Gopher BrownVidic out for the rest of the season I should imagine. The only good thing about this is hopefully Phil Jones won’t be wasted in midfield any more.
Having said that, Jonny Evans will probably play a lot more now. We’re fucked.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Damian Garside
Member Posted by unregistered user: Damian GarsideOh Rob I absolutely agree. Maybe what would be really cool — is not grinding out a league win and half killing the game in the process — but storminbg past City in the 3rd round and all the way to Wembley and the trophy. Historically the Cup has always been a kind of springboard for us. We can win the Cup playing with verve — but to grind out results to take us past a free-scoring City in the league — doesn’t seem on — especially if we do beat them in the Cup, then they will do whatever it takews to win the league match at the Eithad — and that means an 8pt gap — where it could have been 2.
Posted 1 year ago # -
tony
Member Posted by unregistered user: tonyAs good as players are ,most of them are thick!. So they need to be told what to do,where to be{positionally)What there job is.I just don’t know who is supposed to tell them(Pelan)?..Because at the moment it’s just not happening.So many players are out of position at times is worrying.
Posted 1 year ago # -
tony
Member Posted by unregistered user: tonyJust something’s that’s been bothering me for awhile now.Coaching?Tactics?Have we got any?.I’m not sure that any player on the pitch is sure what they should be doing.When Nani,Young go down the wing,they are up against 2,3 players.When we are attacked down the wings,Smalling,Evra whoever seem to be isolated and on there own.I just don’t get it.Through the middle(midfield)the opposition seem to get throuh with ease where we struggle to find our players.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Will
Member Posted by unregistered user: WillI think there are a lot of issues with the current side, as with any team in transition: the midfield, the lack of rhythm, the profligacy in front of goal, ever changing central defensive pairings and so on. For me, there’s also Mike ‘yes guv’ Phelan. United seem to be missing someone of the ilk of Brian Kidd, Steve McClaren, Carlos Queiroz behind the scenes, on the training ground.
Posted 1 year ago # -
lucio4k
Member Posted by unregistered user: lucio4kthis whole problem with our team (man utd) boiles dowm to the owners and part of it is the manager.
one the owners are only interested in taking from the club and the manager keep telling the fans how he’s got a good squad and how there’s no value in the market.the only way you get a good team is by, buying quality players and grooming them up with some youngsters.folks please tell me if am wrong there are players like,bale,modric,hamsik,cavani,subotic,gotze,podolski and lots more saf can choose from so,the only truth is the money is not there and fans are being mislead.Posted 1 year ago # -
Waxfoot
Member Posted by unregistered user: Waxfoot“bebe, tosic, ljajic, obertan, anderson, diouf have been rubbish buys” – how anderson can sit in this list is beyond me.I am aware that he’s the scapegoat of choice at the moment (years ago it was fletch and o’shea), and he has been inconsistent and so far yet to fully deliver on the promise he has fleetingly shown since his arrival. In some performances (some as recent as this season) he has been instrumental in the type of performances we United fans live for. Granted he followed those up with some poor ones, but i’m wondering why he has sank to the level of Bebe or Diouf in fan’s hearts.
I understnd the frustration with the player, but he just isn’t that bad.Posted 1 year ago # -
Alfonso Bedoya
Moderator
sidney said:
I'm liking the anti Glazer feeling that's come back now we're a bit shitGoing to plan
Wishful thinking Sid.
Truth is... there are way too many fans that think just like Dannii... the Glazers are fine owners... as long as they don't interfere.
"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 # -
Ffs, read what I said you thick cunt - I didn't say they were good or not, just that you have nothing on them. You never had and you never will - until they actively say david, alex you have no cash so deal with it - you and your shithouse alter ego never will.
The moment david and sir alex ever realise the cash is not there, they will walk.
Fans still pay, we still watch and the show goes on.
Carry on your crusade against whoever the fuck you want to.
Amazing how no one mentioned the glazers when we win but when we are in the shit, its the owners fault. How convenient.
As for you constant bullshit that prior to glazers we always bought the best, get real you bullshit artist.
Who bought zidane, buffon, figo, rivaldo, fat ronaldo, crespo, etc ... for record transfers? Guess that was united?
Shut the fuck up. We never paid top dollar except for rio. Berba and rooney were glazer era buys and rooney earns more than any other club player in the universe - even christiano.
Its horse shit of the highest order mate.
Your a dope who thinks money can but success - just like 30m for carroll or 30m for shevchenko? What about the 30m for Berba. Or the gazillion for Torres to the Chavs?
you understand fuck all about the finances, fuck all about the history of footballing transfers but will bum up the latest band wagon such as the red knights who came to your fictional rescue.
Again, this is a fergie, scouts, medical room, phelan, gill issue as much as it cld be an ownership issue.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Ichiro
Member
Commenter said:
As good as players are ,most of them are thick!. So they need to be told what to do,where to be{positionally)What there job is.I just don’t know who is supposed to tell them(Pelan)?..Because at the moment it’s just not happening.So many players are out of position at times is worrying.I agree. Bring back Queiroz
Posted 1 year ago # -
Alfonso Bedoya
Moderator danniitronix said:
Ffs, read what I said you thick cunt - I didn't say they were good or not, just that you have nothing on them. You never had and you never will - until they actively say david, alex you have no cash so deal with it - you and your shithouse alter ego never will.The moment david and sir alex ever realise the cash is not there, they will walk.
Fans still pay, we still watch and the show goes on.
Carry on your crusade against whoever the fuck you want to.
Amazing how no one mentioned the glazers when we win but when we are in the shit, its the owners fault. How convenient.
As for you constant bullshit that prior to glazers we always bought the best, get real you bullshit artist.
Who bought zidane, buffon, figo, rivaldo, fat ronaldo, crespo, etc ... for record transfers? Guess that was united?
Shut the fuck up. We never paid top dollar except for rio. Berba and rooney were glazer era buys and rooney earns more than any other club player in the universe - even christiano.
Its horse shit of the highest order mate.
Your a dope who thinks money can but success - just like 30m for carroll or 30m for shevchenko? What about the 30m for Berba. Or the gazillion for Torres to the Chavs?
you understand fuck all about the finances, fuck all about the history of footballing transfers but will bum up the latest band wagon such as the red knights who came to your fictional rescue.
Again, this is a fergie, scouts, medical room, phelan, gill issue as much as it cld be an ownership issue.
You... are a lying, shit headed, tool.
Nuff said.
Posted 1 year ago #
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