Manchester United: The 'Half-Way' Report...

Well, as all who have read my blog so far this season should realise – from
the avid readers (my mum) to the likely majority who accidentally stumble upon
it while looking for ‘cockney rhyming slang’ or something – I have not been
best pleased at our football this season. In the words of pretty much every one
of my school teachers at this, the half way stage of the academic year, United
also: "could do better and SHOULD do better".

No, I’m not blind and yes, I do understand the logistics of
the points system in football; so I get that technically, being second place – only 4 points off the top – by
Crimbo, as well as being in the semi-finals of the League Cup and through to
the knock-out stages of the CL isn’t too bad. In fact, it may be considered
quite an envious position to be in by most. But unfortunately, we are not most.

At Manchester United, we have consistently prided ourselves
on the highest, elite levels of footballing excellence and superiority. Why?
Because we have been blessed with the greatest manager the game has ever seen and
have duly been enhanced rather nicely by spending on, and nurturing, the finest
talent. So, before anyone gets too carried away, or even switches off, after
reading my previous paragraph, bare this bite size description of our club’s
traditions under Ferguson (and of course Sir Matt before him) in mind and
compare it with the current brand of football that is currently being produced at
Old Trafford. Hardly fits the glossy brochure-esque image of our Super Club,
does it?

At United, we see way beyond the statistics and misleading
nature fabricated by stats and points; we’ll leave that to teams like Hull
as they yet again rely on the team below them to lose by more goals than they
do on the last day of the season in order to avoid being relegated. In order to
achieve and maintain our ridiculously high, championship winning standards, we have to win games based on class, individual and team performances; and above all,
that extra, undying resolve that is needed when – as it inevitably does – the
going gets tough.




This season, we have been winning the games, and, going back
to the raw basics of football and 'winning games win leagues', it has just about sufficed; but have we really
produced displays centred around class, individual and team performances and
above all, that extra, undying resolve that is needed when – as it inevitably
does – the going gets tough? I don’t think so.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, the general difference
with this season and campaigns gone by is the drop in standard of the top 4,
and consequent increased level of stature by the teams below. And this has led
to an almost entirely open, unpredictable season. Chelsea a month ago were unstoppable,
with United’s more than often bland, ‘scraping through’ style victories unable
to match their resolve; however after a series of defeats and draws since their
last great performance at the Emirates in November, the critics don’t quite
seem to be as generous with their praise. We have stumbled big time – with horrible
defeats at home to Villa and away to Fulham – but have Chelsea
taken advantage of this and stretched their lead at the top way beyond our
reach? Not quite.

And how about now? Anelka
is injured and Kalou and Drogba (their best player) are off with the Ivory
Coast to attend January’s African Cup of Nations.
That leaves them first-team strikerless which, whatever Ancelotti confidentially claims about the players he has in reserve, is hardly the greatest place to be
in.

So with that in mind, let’s swiftly head back over to United’s
case. Berbatov and Rooney, after moderate periods out with injury, are now firmly
back in order to capitalise on Chelsea’s comparable lack of genuine threat
up-front; and our much discussed and maligned defensive problems also appear to
be restoring themselves, with Brown, Vidic, Evans and O’Shea (probably amongst
others) promised back in the New Year. Plus, if the small psychological impetus
of United upping their potency after Christmas is true – as it usually is –
then this will further improve our claim and benefit from any potential (and I mean
only potential) downfall Chelsea may suffer in the coming month.

And what will further improve our squad and slightly feeble
mentality at present? I hate to ever doubt Sir Alex’s current crop, but a new
signing is much needed; let alone much desired by the frustrated fans. Yes, the
arguments against January signings are strong – as even the incredible Evra and
Vidic struggled in their first half a season – yet you believe a player of
proven attacking capability moving from an equally challenging league (Villa? Silva?
Aguero?) will cope and suffice. I’m not saying we can't do it without a new
world-class addition, but along with the leaking of goals and dropping of
points by or fellow Top 4 members, we have clearly relied too heavily on certain
players to produce this season in the absence of Ronaldo. Whether it be Rooney
and his goals (our only player to have scored more than 4 League goals this
season), Fletcher and his creative, holding impetus (who has unsuccessfully and
rather uselessly been stuck in defence during our 2 recent defeats) or simply defensive
and goalkeeping injuries; we have conceded too many goals, lost more than a
desired amount of points and often lacked a certain flash of brilliance in the
attacking third.

As always however, I have undying faith in our leader and
believe we can do it – as much as my berating and apocalyptic rants have
suggested against that notion. Quite simply though, we can’t rely on Chelsea –
or any of the others for that matter – to drop any more points, for as much as they
may struggle without their main strikers, they could just as easily ride out the storm and manage to
win their Drogba-less games…leaving us still, at best, four points a drift.




So,
a second ‘quite simply’ point is that we need to bring someone in of competence,
flair and ambition who can create and score at will in order to ignite our surge ahead...however, even at
this generous and overly demanding time of year, I understand how that is a tad too
wishful. Failing to do that therefore, we have to stick with a consistent
midfield paring – surely Fletcher and Anderson – and play, whenever we can,
with a 4-4-2. With Valencia well
and truly settled in, Obertan promising big things on the left in 2010, Rooney
and Berb’s thriving to improve their partnership up-front, and our defensive problems
slowly but surely fading out, we’ll be definitely be ok…I hope.

Right, so that’s it. Football time over for at least 24 hours. Now
f**k off and leave me alone to eat loads of food, pretend to appreciate the
crap presents and consequently spend the rest of my Christmas putting
them all up on ebay.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!