Wake up Fergie!

fergie_wiley The weekend saw Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United all falter in their tracks towards the Premier League title, but none as much as Ferguson’s team. In this week’s ‘Shady View’, Pulasta Dhar of iSport.in digs into what has gone wrong this season for the Red Devils.

Since the Premiership began, Manchester United has dominated the scene like no team ever. Not only has this happened due to winning at the right time but in part due to the sound finances they have had over the years. Many clubs felt the pinch of takeovers going wrong and a sudden scarcity of funds and finally it is United’s turn to feel the same.

There is no doubting Sir Alex’s managerial skill. He is by far the best the game has ever seen. But when money starts dictating terms, it gets tough for any team to cope. If you are thinking I am about to give an excuse for this season’s performances as a lack of money, then you are wrong. I am a United fan and it is extremely tough for me to say that the tactics and transfer policy this season have been a disaster at times and the performances against Sunderland, Burnley and Aston Villa are testimony to that.

Villa ended a 26 year wait to beat United and they were determined not to take the record into a 27th year. There was a game-plan which said attack in the first half until you get the goal and then sit back to defend the rest of the game. The attacks were also not simple, they sounded like Bang! Bang! Bang! With United playing Fletcher at right-back as the only makeshift player, there is no chance Ferguson can rue the absence of the rest of his back four with Evra, Brown and Vidic also first choice players. Pace and strength have been the two pillars in the way Villa attacked. Young and Downing were superb from the first pass of the game and the presence of Agbonlahor and Heskey did less to curb United’s problems.

All this is secondary to what I really want to point out. The starting 11 was one which said ‘come and beat us’. The back four was not a problem (i.e if you do not consider Fletcher a misfit). The midfield should have had Nani and Valencia on the wings. Common give the Ronaldo shadow a chance to show what he can do. Park Ji-Sung was nowhere to be seen and the lack of pace down the flanks was evident, something which Nani could have given, even though he is plain stupid at times.

Alex Anderson and Carrick could have handled the centre of the park, with Anderson allowed to roam ahead and Carrick being the tough guy. He has made that transition very well. The striker department was the one which shocked me. Ryan Giggs starting up front with Rooney? Well, you can say that he was part of the midfield, but if that was the case, then what was Fergie doing with a 4-5-1 if you have two world class strikers fit for selection? Berbatov should have started and that is where the United attack collapsed. The sublime touch and awareness of the Bulgarian is second to none. An argument might be that he does not score that much, but few people mention how he brings Rooney into the game, shouldering much of the Englishman’s responsibilities and allowing him to get into goal scoring positions.

There have been arguments about the amount of money paid for him, but the base he provides for attacks makes him worth 30 Million Pounds. Also, the team can play off him, which means they can use him as a bouncing wall and allow a smooth flow for midfielders to get forward. Michael Owen was also on the bench. Though not as good as he was in his days, he can be a thorn in the opposing side’s defense by simply placing himself in some very intelligent positions. Positioning wise, he is one of the best in the world.

The transfer market in January has to be exploited without fail. United are lacking that one player which can turn a game around. Rooney was simply third-rate against Villa and may face burnout if some pressure is not taken off him. David Silva or Sergio Aguero will be great buys. Chelsea is closing in on the Argentinean and if what the papers say happens, then it will make Chelsea almost unstoppable in their attacks. Another player who can be considered is Angel Di Maria, a player who has impressed with Argentina in the qualifiers and the Olympics. He is a left winger and an ideal replacement for Nani, i.e. if United need to sell before buying.

Fergie needs to take a closer look at the way his team has fared in this season. It was ideal opportunity to come on equal terms with Chelsea, who do not drop points at home and when they do, you have to take advantage of it! A player who can take on the defense and add some more creativity will surely be on his radar, even though he has already said to the media, “Expect no big signings!” Well, I`ll say “Wake up Fergie!!”