Anandu Unnikrishnan's Blog

A few months ago, after being unceremoniously dumped out of the Champions League by an un-fancied Swiss side, I managed to come across a splendid article by Samuel Luckhurst, aptly title “Are we really becoming ‘who the f*** are Manchester United? ‘ “.

 

Thinking back after last night’s plainly pathetic walloping at Tyneside, I rather think we are.

 

Bereft of idea, quality and any sort of determination, the United squad playing at the St. James’s Park (bollocks to you Mike Ashley) were out paced, out muscled and completely outplayed by a savvy, stylish and purposeful Newcastle. 

 

A second consecutive defeat conceding 3 goals hasn’t happened since 2004,but needless to say, I think we got what we deserved. Also, it is rather ominous that United’s best player by far was a 38 year old former winger.

 

Let us break down some of the facts and analyze the reasons for the defeat last night -

 

1) INJURIES 

 

Plainly the most obvious of reasons. The squad has been decimated by the worst injury crisis in the last 7 years. The last time this happened was in 2003 when, with Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Van Nistelrooy all injured, United went on to win… Er.. Nothing.

 

The present crisis is just as bad, if not worse. Vidic out for the season, Darren Fletcher taking an indefinite break from football, Ashley Young, Tom Cleverley, Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling, Rafael and Fabio da Silva, Michael Owen all clogging up the treatment at Old Trafford. Among these, the absences of Cleverley and Vidic has been felt particularly hard.

 

The former was a shining light at the beginning of the season. Described by Fergie as being “probably the best young midfielder in Britain”, just when we all started thinking that he had inherited Scholes’s legacy, Kevin Davies intervened and off went Tom.

 

Cleverley’s passing and vision have been sorely missed by United and although Michael Carrick seems to have remembered that he can pass a ball, Tom’s energy and enthusiasm in the middle of the park has been badly missed.

 

The loss of Vidic, IMO is far far more significant and has far reaching consequences to United results. With him at the back, United could comfortably bomb forward, safe in the knowledge that pretty much no one would get past the Serbian and that anyone foolish to try would be bulldozed quickly enough. The partnership he built up with Ferdinand at the back has been integral to United’s title successes during the last 3 years.

 

Without Vidic, Rio seems a shadow of himself. Unsure of whether to attack a ball or let it run, the massive dip in his form and self belief has been startling. Suffice to say he hasn’t got that yard of pace anymore and at 33, he isn’t getting any younger as well.

 

With Vidic out for the season, United have been overly dependent on Rio. With his age and injury problems in mind, he cannot be expected to start and finish every single match anymore. But the distinct lack of an experienced presence means that Ferdinand is forced to play more and more of the matches. It is also sad to note that he hasn’t formed a successful partnership with any of the younger players as well. In fact, Ferdinand and Jones at centre back have conceded far more goals than any other combination of players (including Carrick and Berbatov at one stage).

 

Therefore the loss of Vidic has been thoroughly felt. Without significant defensive steel, United have simply taken the easiest route out, by preferring not to attack at all. Instead they prefer to slow down the tempo and break on the counter. Although with a practically non existent midfield, this could may well turn out to be more self harming than anything.

 

In the few games that United have attacked, we have seen what they can do to teams. With Wolves being demolished 4-1 followed closely by 5-nothing thrashings of Fulham and Wigan. In these games, United attacked with a verve unseen after the 5-0 at Bolton in early August.

 

2) NON EXISTENT MIDFIELD 

 

This has been a recurring issue for many seasons now. Although the urgent need for fresh faces in the middle of the park has never been felt this bad before, the retirement of Scholes accompanied by the sudden injury crisis to pretty much everyone save Darron Gibson (who everyone prefers injured than playing) meant that the calls for everything from a ‘trequartista ‘ and ‘regista‘ to ‘plain effing guts, blood and bone’ have been echoed throughout United-dom.

 

Although Phil Jones seems like a modern day amalgamation of Beckenbauer, Scholes, Messi and Yahweh, he isn’t by any means the cure to the problem. Tom Cleverley has gone from rising starlet to probable saviour in his absence. It is not fair on the lad that he accept United’s entire playmaking burden.

 

Darren Fletcher when fit often seems perfect for the job. He can attack, he can defend and he can even finish to boot. But he has absolutely no guile. With him battling a potentially career threatening condition, it is only fitting that he take as much time as he needs away from the game to recover, as United simply cannot afford another Hargreaves.

 

Anderson meanwhile, is just as useless now, as he was when we bought him. Although he was magnificent during the early weeks of the season when paired with Cleverley, his uselessness is typically highlighted now that he has been asked to marshall the United midfield. Useless when fit and injured pretty much all of the time, its time United cut their losses with the former Porto man.

 

Michael Carrick has been set forth as another probable solution. To his credit, and he reads the game phenomenally and can pass just as well as those midgets over at the Camp Nou, on his day. He even makes more interceptions per match than most defenders do in a season. However, he doesn’t own the game as he used to at Spurs. Where once he played much farther upfield, he has now been asked to shield the back four, as a deep lying playmaker as much as anything. Paul Scholes-esque if you will. But by no means is the Geordie a modern day Scholes.

 

Add to that the fact that he isn’t compatible with anyone else. Carrick and Fletcher are unworkable, with one slowing down the game and the other trying to bulldoze through it. Carrick and Giggs is too slow. Carrick and Anderson just don’t work, which is as much the portly Brazilian’s fault as anything. Carrick and Jones does seem promising with the former’s vigour and enthusiasm coupled with the latter’s passing seemingly working wonders. Against Norwich and Aston Villa, this tactic was very effective, although it probably didn’t result in as much goals as anyone would have liked.

 

Jonathan Wilson’s interestingly titled book “Inverting The Pyramid” deals with the myriad tactics being used in the beautiful game. While discussing Ferguson’s classical 4-4-2 formation, Wilson notes that although most of United’s play seems to go through the wings, Ferguson always gave due importance to the middle of the park, as was highlighted by some brilliant parterships in – Scholes and Keane, Ince and Robson etc.

 

In all of these cases, the middle 2 essentially consisted of a runner and a passer. Literally speaking, one would run about the pitch while the other would dictate the tempo. Although this tactic used to work in previous combinations in the middle of the park, it hasn’t seemed to work for the present United squad.

 

Again, the main cause for this is the above mentioned injuries. With Scholes’s retirement, only Carrick and Cleverley are recognized passers. This is why a middle two of Fletcher and Anderson (both runners) or Carrick and Cleverley (both passers) would not work out.

 

With this said, the inclusion of Giggs and Park, both essentially wingers into the middle the park does seem to bring out interesting results. Technically, a middle two of Giggs and Carrick shouldn’t work. But against Chelsea in the quarters of the UCL last season, the two combined with the sheer industry of Park, managed to work wonders. Chelsea had no answer to United’s midfield trio. This result is in stark contrast to the one at Newcastle yesterday. Giggs and Carrick were overrun by the twin pillars of tenacity and tempestuousness in the form of Tiote and Cabaye. United were, to put in the words of Martin Tyler, “run over”.

 

Against Blackburn, it was just sheer idiocy that beat United. Who in their right minds would put Park and Rafael in the middle of the park? One is a winger, the other is a wing back with defensive qualities of David Luiz. Of course, most of the blame should go to Mike Phelan for not standing up to Sir Alex and suggesting that this might be a bad idea, but simply blaming Phelan is a bit harsh.

 

With all due to respect to Fergie, why didn’t Pogba start? How can he possibly be worse than Rafael and Park?  And for what sane reason did Welbeck start on the left while Antonio Valencia languished at right back? And lastly, did Fergie seriously expect that Carrick would stand upto the bullying of Yakubu? The answers to all these questions were broadly expected when the final whistle blew at Old Trafford.

 

[ HOWEVER, is United’s midfield as bad as it looks?

 

United it seems, have plenty of talent within the club, both at the Reserve and Youth levels. Why not let one of these starlets have a go then? We have long heard of proclamations of Ravel Morrison being the Mancunian Messi and Pogba being the new Vieira. To be honest though, we haven’t seen much of young Ravel in a senior shirt to suggest he could be the Mancunian Joey Barton, let alone a Messi. And Pogba seemingly is more interested in the green of the US dollar than the green of the pitch.

 

Another youngster on whom great hopes have been pinned on, is Ryan Tunnicliffe. Described as a modern day Roy Keane/Bryan Robson, Tunnicliffe is said to possess all the attributes to become a future United and England captain such as a this-is-sparta approach to tackling and an indomitable will to win. Although to be fair, the same were said of John O’Shea when he first came to Old Trafford. And look where he ended up. Tunnicliffe however, has been earning rave reviews at Peterborough, where he is on loan. In fact, he is the one player I really look forward to seeing in a United shirt, along with young winger Robbie Brady. ]

 

Moving along and onto Ryan Giggs. at 38, the Welshman is the oldest member of the United squad but is easily one of the most creative as well. He may have lost the searing pace of his youth, but he seems to have lost absolutely none of the guile. But at 38, how much more are we supposed to depend on him? If rumours are to be believed, he is being offered a one-year contract extension as well! I think we can all understand the depth of United’s midfield misery when we hear that Scholes has been asked to come out of retirement as well. Next we hear, they’ll be asking Cantona and Sir Bobby Charlton as well…

 

To sum up, Tom Cleverley is (if you excuse the pun) by far and away the cleverest player present in the United line up. Yes, yes I know Rooney can drop back when he’s needed and all that, but he’s more effective up front than anywhere else. The sooner Cleverley returns, the better. We all saw he almost single-handedly influenced the games against Barca (pre-season friendly) and against Citeh in the Community Shield. He also provides as a good foil to whoever plays alongside him, because he can be a runner as well as a passer. He also tracks back to a large extent. With him back, United should be much better off.

 

3) GOALKEEPER ROTATION

 

I’m sure everyone heard of the de Gea interview after the Blackburn match, in which he claimed he can be just as good/better than Van der Sar, as a Manchester United legend.

 

Right.

 

I’m no critic, and I absolutely do not believe that the young Spaniard should be blamed for all our losses, but deary me he has made a hash of a lot of those set plays, hasn’t he? Granted he pretty much singlehandedly saved our skins against Chelsea and Liverpool, but how much more howlers should we be subjected to? Watching de Gea flapping at crosses with all the aplomb of a vampire, I seem to recollect flashes of a certain baldheaded, crazy Frenchman. I don’t think that bodes well for our new numero uno.

 

Ferguson for one, seems to believe in the Spaniard. Throughout all his howlers, Ferguson has continuously backed him to come good, so have his teammates (save a certain Dane)

His catlike reflexes have boded well for United. Now all he needs to do is bulk up a bit and learn how to deal with crosses. No biggie.

 

However, I don’t think the constant rotation of the goalkeepers will do anything to improve his confidence and self-belief. Never before have I seen Fergie tinker with the seemingly “last line of defense” as now, except during the doomed Tim Howard/Roy Carroll (god bless his soul. Or not) era.

 

With the goalkeepers being seemingly chosen at random, the position has no stability. This coupled with the absolute uncertainty among the back four does not spell good news for United. With no gelling between the goalkeeper and his defence, how can de Gea be expected to properly synchronise his defence? Therefore IMHO, the suspect defence has to carry as much blame as the goalkeeper for all our dismal results.

 

[ In fact the suspect defence needs to carry pretty much all the blame for all the three goals Lindegaard has conceded. All of which, by the way, came at Tyneside last night. All of which came due to a certain Phil, who was beaten by Shola Ameobi to the long punt upfield for the first goal, who bundled over Demba Ba and in essence, provided an assist for the second goal and then who rather stupidly chested (or thighed?) the ball into his own net. Splendid work there, Phil. I can almost see the parallels with John O’Shea. ]

 

If  Fergie does need to rotate the GK, why doesn’t he do it in a logical way, as Mr. Luckhurst aptly propounded after the Newcastle defeat – select Lindegaard when the opposing team prefers a physical style of play, viz. Stoke, Blackburn etc and de Gea against more stylish teams such as Arsenal and Chelsea. In fact, wouldn’t it be altogether better if Lindegaard plays the big matches (considering his age, experience and confidence) and let de Gea familiarise with the Premier League against lesser, weaker teams?

 

4) DIMITAR BERBATOV

 

The enigmatic Bulgarian, the joint top scorer of last season has found himself more than slightly marginalised this season. With the emergence of Welbeck, coupled with the Bulgarian’s ostentatiously languid/lazy/uninterested style of play meant that he found himself warming the benches more than anything. But given he chance, he redeemed himself in style with 5 goals in 2 games against Wigan and Blackburn.

 

I don’t understand people’s lack of liking for Berbatov. His style of play is very often wrongly interpreted and this has frequently lead to him being derided in style by the Old Trafford faithful. I’ve read thousands of blogs and tweets deriding the Bulgarian for his apparent lack of effort, but in retrospect, this just because people cannot understand the simplicity-and hence the profound genius-of his method of play.

 

The Bulgarian is by far the classiest player United has. Given the time and space, he often works pieces of magic unseen after The King Eric Cantona himself. His hold up play, vision and passing are second to none. His only fault is that he prefers to occupy the same position as Rooney does, and Ferguson being the Brit he is, almost always favours Rooney, being the more mobile, more industrious and apparently “the more world class” of the two. Work ethic over Pure class.

 

However, Berbatov has shown what he can do for the team last year, almost singlehandedly dragging the team through early season with Rooney seemingly poised to quit the club. He rescued the club against Everton, Liverpool, Tottenham and played a major role in United’s progress until overshadowed by Hernandez. He quietly suffered when he did not make the team list against Barca at Wembley, (unlike a certain Dutchman) and did not protest when he found himself on the wrong end of the fans’s abuse. Yet, he almost saved us against Blackburn, converting the two chances he got. Against Newcastle, he was completely devoid of any service and yet the only notable effort he registered crashed off the bottom of the post.

 

In all honesty, the Bulgarian can very well fulfil United’s creative dearth if he half cared to do so, but as long as Ferguson prefers players like Park in the middle of the pitch, it is no wonder that we are where we are now.

 

5)NO TRANSFER MONEY/GLAZERS

 

As Wayne Rooney so correctly pointed out to us at the beginning of last season, “The club’s direction and mine do not match, nor does its inability to sign top quality players” which essentially meant “F*** those Glazers, buy someone or I’m gone”

 

I don’t need to say anything further at this juncture. I am yet to meet a United fan who hasn’t yet understood the implications of the Glazer takeover and the saddling of all their external debt on the club, alongwith Ferguson’s traitorous handling of the takeover by voicing no opposition whatsoever (Maybe they gave him a new horse?).

 

This has meant that United have no money to buy anyone new.

 

Literally.

 

The last player that United bought for a significant amount of money was Berbatov (*cough* Bebe *cough*) in the summer of 2008. So its been almost 4 years since we last strengthened.

 

In the same time, Arsenal have bought in Arshavin, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Gervinho, Arteta, Jenkinson, Joel Campbell and Oxlade – Chamberlain.

 

Chelsea have bought Flopando Torres for 50 Mill, Juan Mata, David-PlayStation-Luiz for 25 Mill with possibly Gary Cahill joining them this month.

 

Liverpool have purchased Luiz Suarez, Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam, Jose Enrique and Mr. Ponytail for a combined 100 Mill, and Citeh have bought every remaining footballer on the planet.

 

Yes, now you seem to understand the ‘massive’ scale if investment being made at Old Trafford don’t you? Although Ferguson has often said that that money has always been made available when he wanted it and that he “will not buy simply for the sake of buying”, the fact remains that we are, essentially the poorest of the so called Big Five. Except Tottenham of course. Wait a sec, do they even make the Big 5?

 

Sadly, a renegade takeover bid by the Red Knights Trust for the princely sum of $1 Billion (aka 1000000000 dollars) was rejected by the Glazers and this has quashed any lingering hopes of us buying back the club which we so love and care for.

 

The significant lack of money has not prevented the media from linking possible transfer targets to the club, nevertheless. Players from Wesley Sneijder to some unheard of U21 Macedonian left back have been linked with the club. This despite the fact that United cannot afford to pay even 50k pounds of Sneijder’s reportedly sky high wages of 250,000 pounds a week!

 

Still, could be worse. Atleast the media aren’t openly saying that we can’t afford to buy Sunil Chhetri, let lone Wesley Sneijder. This could be blessing in surprise.

 

And although many fans have been pining for a creative force in the vein of the above mentioned Dutchie, what we need urgently is a holding midfielder of the same fire breathing breed as Roy Keane, and someone to replace Ferdinand and Evra, who are going and going fast. Possible names such as Yann M’Villa, Jordi Alba, Javi Garcia, Javi Martinez, Chieck Tiote have all been bandied about, but unless someone clods Fergie with a walking stick, don’t expect anyone.

 

6) MIKE PHELAN

 

I’ve said before that we shouldn’t be overly blaming Phelan for all our losses. The 6-1 against City, Knocked out of the Carling Cup and the Champions League and consecutive losses to Blackburn (Blackburn!) and Newcastle. Hmm come to think of it, I think I will blame him.

 

I don’t think any of the above defeats would have happened if Carlos Queiroz had still been at the Theatre of Dreams. Queiroz’s technical know-how was of supreme importance in our Champions League victories (esp. over Barca in the semis) and our 2008  final run. When he left, Fergie was devoid of a virtual think-tank of tactical expertise. Without Queiroz’s guidance, United stumbled badly, losing against Bayern in 2009 and getting comprehensively beaten (once again) by Barca in last year’s final at Wembley.

 

The bumbling Phelan has no pedigree to hold his current position, he has the tactical knowledge of a water buffalo, the brains of dodo and the flexibility of a rock. He does not seem to offer any sort of advice to Sir Alex during a match as well. IMO, he has to go. No excuses. Anyone remember how Brian Clough failed miserably without a certain sidekick? This is exactly what is happening to Sir Alex now.

 

 

SOME CONCLUDING THOUGHTS : 

 

I’m just as optimistic as the next man, but I don’t think United are going to win the title (or anything else for that matter) this year. I know its massively stupid of me to write them off at this point of the season, but unless City cock up unbelievably, I cannot envisage how we are going to drag ourselves to the top. I’m also getting a nagging feeling that those Yids are going to finish above us. Hmmm…

 

United, for all their downfalls, need to buy someone to proceed. It’s as simple as that, as Andy Gray would say. Due to popular demand (from no one in particular), I have looked up some probable midfield maestros -

 

Wesley Sneijder – No, hopeless choice, he himself has said that he prefers playing as a second striker. Besides he isn’t exactly durable. And is out of form. And asks for a lot of money

 

Luka Modric  – My first choice, although Daniel Levy and ‘Arry would be loath to sell him. Can pass, cross, shoot, and defend and we’ve seen him in action often enough. Will probably cost a fortune, seeing that he signed a new deal recently.

 

Eden Hazard – No , he’s a winger. And he’s more Ronaldo than Scholes. Plus he’s not proven himself outside France, was rather anonymous in Lille’s European games.

 

Christian Eriksen – OK, he too seems more Ronaldo than Scholes, he often prefers to dribble past players and shoot himself, than go for an assist. But he is also very very quick, good at set plays and ran rings around England at Wembley. Will not come cheap.

 

Rasmus Elm – Dark horse IMO, can pass like Scholes, and is an expert at set pieces, something United have been seriously missing. Also makes lots of interceptions, scores much as well. His contract runs out this summer, and he has expressed a willingness to move. Watch out for Spurs though..

 

Nicolas Gaitan – Plays pretty much the same way as Elm, although being left footed, could bring some variety into the United attack. Young, Argentinean, and smiles a lot. What more do you want? And his assist for Cardozo’s goal against United was purely sublime.

 

Javi Martinez – I watched him play against Barca for Bilbao and he very nearly succeded in chaining Messi. Anyone who can do that isn’t half bad I guess, seeing that the last United player to do that was a certain Owen Hargreaves…

 

Chieck Tiote – We all saw what this man can do, yesterday. Although he does seem a bit clueless after he does manage to win the ball. Lucky he’s got Yohan Cabaye… Will not come cheap.

 

Javi Garcia – The Benfica man was splendid against United, rendered Nani and Rooney virtually useless. Doesn’t venture forward at all, might just be the man Sir Alex is looking for.

 

In all honesty though, I wish we signed a left back more. Jordi Alba will probably come cheap as well! Once Anderson, Cleverley and (hopefully) Fletcher return, the midfield will be able to come with most demands. However, the left back position is in some danger. Evra has no recognized cover, with Fabio out and Zeki Fryers just bedding into the team. And if Evra’s recent form is any sign of things to come, we can all look forward to a very, very long 2012.