A good read

the problem is we have the numbers its just the injury and age worries that people think we need another midfielder.

If we do get one then someone has to be sold

We would have Cleverly, Anderson, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Fletcher, Powell, Kagawa all able to play that position. Then you have the youngsters like Tunnicliffe, Petrucci, Lingard etc who will hope to get games

I know what the responses will be - Giggs too old, Powell too young, Cleverly and Anderson injury prone. Fletcher won't play again etc these are fair points but then if this is the case SAF needs to cut his losses and sell them you can't just add another midfielder to this group in case someone gets injured or has to retire etc

surely left back and left wing is more of a concern?

It's a shame that Tunniclife is the only player in the mould of the CM we desperately need. Yet he's got a few years to fully mature.

Dichinero
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What type of CM is that? To me we need Scholes with legs.

aquantumofsolskjaer

I don't see left wing as a problem. We have Young, who potentially could be second choice to Nani when Valencia is in the team. We also have the prospect of playing a 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 formation, in which case a narrower wide forward could be deployed, with both Kagawa and Rooney suitable candidates.

Left back - I agree. Presumably the management have a plan but I don't see many ideal candidates as understudies - rather, central defenders who can do a job.

As for midfielders, even assuming that Cleverley, Anderson and Carrick have good seasons, too many of the others have asterisks next to their names: reliance on them inhibited by their age, youth or preference for playing elsewhere. Probably someone will have to make way eventually if a first-team quality midfielder is brought in, but I don't see why they have to do so immediately. Giggs and Scholes are near the ends of their conveyor-belts. Many of the youngsters are a loan spell away from getting into the first XI. And injuries to key personnel are hardly a remote possibility.

RR
Quality post as usual.

I agree with the possiblity of a different formation - but personally I think we should pick a formation and stick with it - it seems like SAF wants lots of options but almost like he now has two many - we have players that are flexible but i also feel we have some that are not.

As for midfielders you have sort of highlighted my point - Anderson, Carrick and Cleverly are the only (prime/mature) players we have for that position - that is a massive concern - i would like to see us get another midfielder in this age group but I can't justify brining someone in unless we were to let some others leave i.e. Fletch, Giggs or Scholes

@SLM, I think we need a DM type player. I mean, we've resorted to playing O'Shea, Rio, Jones there in desperate times. Although your suggestion would be great.

All that midfield needs is fitness of cleverley and ando and we won't a midfielder for 5 yrs. Unless the player being bought can be assured to not get injured then buying a new midfielder is redundant. If the last 5 yrs has proven literally something, the midfield does not need to perform above average to get to cl finals and titles. If ando and clev stay fit then we are already ahead of the curve of the last 5 yrs.

Redasarabiantomatoes

I don't quite follow that logic. Statement A (Cleverley and Anderson don't get injured we won't need another player) assumes good luck. Statement B (the hypothetical extra midfielder could get injured himself) assumes bad luck.

Ultimately, getting another midfielder reduces the probability that we are exposed by injuries! ...unless we resign Hargreaves of course.

Speaking of Hargreaves, it would be useful, wouldn't it, if we could bring in a player who could play with aplomb both in midfield and at full back.

I guess O'Shea was our useful utility man for a while and Jones could be groomed for that role, though right now he's a long way behind the Hargreaves of 2008 in terms of understanding those positions and as a polished footballer.