I'm sorry but I need to vent some spleen.
I am soooooooooo frustrated watching a United side bereft of top class central midfield talent. It's been like this for 3 years and SAF keeps refusing to do anything about it, because of the stubborn streak, which has benefited him and us on so many occasions in the past, but this time is really hindering what could be an awesome team.
The fact we have competed so well over the period is testament to the squad, the longevity of Scholes and Giggs, and SAF's quality as a manager, but this does not mean he is impervious to mistakes and not doing anything at all about the midfield which he tried to tell us last year could be resolved with Gibson must be worthy of a mention. This is actually a lot like Wenger's blind spot with his defence. The whole world can see the problem but he refuses to fix it.
United should have players like a peak quality Robson, Ince, Keane, and Scholes playing centrally in all their teams and not go for such a length of time relying on players like Gibson, Fletcher, Carrick, and Anderson. I'm not saying the latter players are terrible, well Gibson is, but more to the point these are the type of players who were very reliable squad players in the past who came in when the big boys needed resting or were unfit, and they always did a great job. Fletcher is a great worker for the team and has some talent, but the very fact there is a love fest over Fletcher's class is a sad indictment of what we are now happy with as our very top CM. Anderson may one day fulfil the glimpses of the talent he's shown in the past but I'm not sure we should wait another 4 years for that before getting another player in. Don't get me wrong I want players like these at United, but not as the main men in the most important position of arguably the biggest club side on the planet.
Last seasons away form was pure and simple down to a lack of driving force and creativity from the central midfield, the heart beat of any team, so what does Fergie do after Scholes retires, Hargreaves is jettisoned and he finally wakes up to Gibson. He buys another teenage central defender, tries for a further one after that but misses out to Madrid, gets a left winger and ignores the central midfield for yet another year.
Let's not forget we've also sold Obertan, O'Shea and Brown. VDS has retired, Kuscack going, and Neville has retired, so that's a lot of cash that has come off the wage bill and yet somehow most people seem placated by 3 buys which have not really improved us a great deal. What we've gained from Young on the left, we've certainly lost from VDS at the back. People also seem placated because Cleverley comes back from Wigan and has one good half of football in a charity match, and we have Pogba and Morrison playing really well in youth football. Barcelona with their newly acquired players Sanchez and Fabregas (who arent even guaranteed a starting spot) must be quaking in their boots, let alone the top teams in the premiership. I actually think a lot of pundits have also been sucked in by a good pre-season against poor US sides as well, given they're now saying this is one of the most exciting United teams for years, after saying it was one of the least exciting teams last season. Err sorry but what's changed?? Cleverley for Scholes, Young for Park and DeGea for VDS. Woooohooo, all aboard the excitement train.
I don't care if we couldnt get Sneijder because he wanted too much cash, in fact I think we should have walked away from his games earlier than we did. He clearly showed he cares more about cash than playing, and that's not the sort of player I want in a team game. However why could we not get another solitary player from the whole planet who would have improved us in the midfield? It's been negligence to ignore it for so long, pure and simple. Did Scholes suddenly become 46 without anyone realising, did SAF wake up one day and think, "you know what Hargreaves is injured quite a lot".
Most of us knew we were desperate centrally when we sold Ronaldo and yet SAF ignored the issue and let Sneijder go to Inter for a fraction of the fee he now seemed willing to pay. Ozil went off to Madrid for peanuts - could we not have made a bid double the size of Madrid because at 16m he would still have been a bargain buy. Khedira and Sahin followed Ozil for value prices. Costa went to Russia for a fee now looking good business. De Rossi is still in Rome despite wanting out. Schweinsteiger flirts from Munich with claims of being a United fan...Now many of these may not have been possible purchases, but one thing we know to be true, there are players out there who would improve us and if SAF wanted to do something he could, so he obviously can't see the problem in midfield, like Wenger can't see the problem in his defence, and not even the recent reminder that NOTHING has changed in the season opener against West Brom looks like it's going to change things.
Nothing Has Changed
posted on 15/8/11
How often have we invested in ready made world class players and seen it pay off? If we are to ever reach Barca's current level then it has to be with youngsters brought through the ranks or bought and moulded.
posted on 15/8/11
Comment Deleted by Article Creator
posted on 15/8/11
I agree with most of your main points (and I laughed out loud reading them) but I have to quibble with some of your more minor points. E.g. the difference between Fergie and Wenger's 'blind spots' is a display case full of trophies.
While I agree that Clev, Pogba (and even Ando) are young, and too many are getting carried away, I have still been impressed by them so far. I think SAF feels that unless he can get a world class player for a reasonable price then he'd rather give his promising youngsters a chance rather than bringing in someone who's better than them now but might not be in 2 years.
The only fundamental point that I disagreed with is that I don't think SAF has is "ignoring" the CM issue, although I think it has taken him far too long to address it. I think he is aware of the problem and is taking steps to rectify it - just not by signing a new player.
Gibson will leave because his style doesn't fit with the manager's new philosophy. There seems tohave been an emphasis in preseason and against WB on high tempo one touch passing/possession and our CMs are playing much further forward in support of the attack. This was clear against WB and City. Yesterday I counted 6 Utd players in and around the WB penalty area. I don't remember seeing that away from home last season.
We appear to be improving our attacking style. Forget any new signings, Fergie is dealing with it - just not with a quick fix. However, the change is already noticeable which is encouraging.
posted on 15/8/11
'United should have players like a peak quality Robson, Ince, Keane, and Scholes playing centrally in all their teams'
Name realistic targets who are as good as any of these.
posted on 15/8/11
Fair points Misty and for dramatic effect I vented a bit OTT but you got the gist
@Busbybabes - There have been lots of realistic targets that either were as good or could have developed to become as good over the least 3 years that we could have bought and didnt for whatever reason.
I mentioned Sneijder for under 20m when we sold Rondaldo. We needed an attacking CM then and SAF didnt negotiate for this player. I recall being shocked even then.
Costa, Ozil, Sahin were younger players we could have gone in more heavily for. You could add Ramsay to that list but like Bale SAF was too cautious about the price.
When Modric went to spurs where were we? VDV would be a quality AM and for the price Spurs paid no risk at all.
DeRossi is certainly a realistic target in the last year of his contract who wants out
Diarra is a better DM than we have currently even though I think we could find better.
Schweinsteiger would cost a lot and may not be possible but do we know for sure.
I'm sure SAF scouts could come up with a list 10 times this length or are you really saying there is noone realistically in the world that would improve us beyond Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson and Gibson
posted on 15/8/11
I agree we need a centre midfield, but all of these targets for one reason or another are/ have been unrealistic or Fergy simply didn't want he player.
He went to watch Ozil in pre-season but I think when Madrid were involved, there was only place he was going. Possibly the same with Sahin, we have certainly had scouts at Dortmund over the last couple of years.
Sneijder had a bad injury record at Madrid remember, I'm sure if SAF wanted any of these Madrid players, he could of had his pick in exchange for Ronaldo. People who want Sneijer in a two man midfield are asking for trouble imo.
De Rossi will not leave Roma, they have new owners and exciting times ahead. Schweinteiger will probably never leave Bayern. Though these are suitable players.
When Modric went to spurs where were we?
Sorry but £16m on Modric was a huge gamble at the time, it payed off, but he was by no means a cert to succeed in the Prem, and did we not have Ronny then?
We wanted Ramsey but he chose Arsenal, and imo isn't an improvement on what we have.
Costa centre mid?
posted on 15/8/11
Comment Deleted by Article Creator
posted on 15/8/11
posted 1 second ago
comment by BusbysBabes (U9083)
posted 1 hour, 10 minutes ago
People who want Sneijer in a two man midfield are asking for trouble imo.
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But Cleverly is not trouble in a 2-man midfield?
or are u saying Fergie is asking for trouble by going after him?
We need a creative attacking midfielder to give us more options in case the opposition shut out the flanks.
posted on 16/8/11
@Busbybabes
I wont go over your responses to all the players as it's a bit pointless but the bottom line is SAF could definitely have improved on our CM in last 3 years and has chosen not to and that has been a mistake IMO. I simply dont accept the argument that no player could realistically have improved on our current players in that position.
As for Costa, yes he definitely is a CM
http://www.imscouting.com/players/douglas-costa/
posted on 16/8/11
Whatever! The difference with Wenger's blind spot over their defence and the suppossed Sir Alex one over our midfield is that Arsenal are not winning trophies, we are. Our record over these last 3 years with our "dreadfull" midfield, really couldn't have got much better, really could it!