Ronaldo's brilliance masks United's problems
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Manchester United may have gone three points clear at the top of the table and been boosted by Chelsea's failure to beat Spurs, but they are still far from certain to be champions of England, let alone of Europe.
Many big games await Sir Alex Ferguson's men and each will present challenges that they have previously failed. There's the forthcoming clashes with Liverpool, Arsenal, Roma and Chelsea, of course. But the trips to Blackburn, where United have lost in three of the last five seasons, and to Middlesbrough, the most perverse team in the country in that no matter how deep the rut they appear to be in they're always apt to upset the big four, will also be seriously hazardous - remember how impotent United looked when flopping at humdrum sides such as Manchester City, West Ham and, of course, Bolton earlier in this campaign? And the last-day-of-the-season trip to Wigan's bog promises to be just as unpleasant.
Why have United at times looked feeble away to beefy and well-drilled underdogs? For the same reason that Bolton controlled much of the play tonight - ie because United's midfield often struggles to assert itself. Darren Fletcher is patently not part of the manager's first-choice central pairing, but Anderson might be and he was bypassed for long periods tonight.
It will be fascinating to see who Ferguson fields in the centre against Liverpool on Sunday and in the remaining major matches this season. The choice isn't obvious. Paul Scholes' influence has inevitably waned as his mobility has declined. Owen Hargreaves has been hampered by injury and frequently looked less than fully fit (presumably the decision to deploy him at right-back tonight was designed to give him a relatively easy work-out ahead of the bigger games in store). Michael Carrick's passing often compensates for his relative lack of dynamism but, like the other options, he rarely offers a goal threat: while Steven Gerrard, Cesc Fabregas and Frank Lampard bang in the goals elsewhere, United's five central midfielders have between them mustered three league goals this season.
Few would expect those players to score more. Few goals from central midfield is, then, part of the manager's plan. Their job is exclusively to feed the forwards. The problem is United's forward are not reliable.
Wayne Rooney has been particularly profligate, and in particularly unforgivable fashion. He has exquisite skills, instinctive ingenuity and natural warrior spirit; but that instinct has become infected and his spirit soiled - the result is awful finishing. The wonky shooting could be borne of sloppiness. But his demeanour, the creeping strut in his game, suggest something even less excusable - a penchant for the stupidly ostentatious. It seems he overcomplicates things not because of an idealistic, Arsenalesque commitment to artistic purity, but because of a grubby lust to inflate the hype around him, to soup up his image. The botched lobs at home to Newcastle or the foiled attempts to saunter into the net with the ball during the Cup defeat by Portsmouth suggested that to him a clear sight of the net are not so much a chance to score a goal as an opportunity to fatten his reputation. Ronaldo, for one, is much more focused; much less arrogant. The irony, then, is that Rooney's lack of humility accounts for his modest goal tally this season.
Industrious Carlos Tevez's focus doesn't look blurred. His aim and touch just seem to be unsure, as was evident as early as the eighth minute tonight when he chested down a ball six yards from goal then swiped at fresh air. The coolness that Rooney radiates when at his best is a quality bestowed on a chosen few - and Tevez isn't one of them. Louis Saha is a far sharper striker. When fully fit. But when, and for how long, will that be?
Out wide Nani is, understandably, immature. The 21-year-old's decision-making on the ball needs fine-tuning (witness his choice to shoot from 30 yards in the 83rd of tonight's game when he had two team-mates in far better positions) and his propensity to disappear for long periods in games, such as tonight's, is another symptom of his youth.
The upshot of all this, as was demonstrated again tonight, is that defensively solid United are over-reliant for goals on Ronaldo, whose brilliance has regularly rescued them this season, masking the shortcomings of both the manager and some of his team-mates. Twenty-four league goals so far represents a stupendous return for the Portuguese; if he were to get injured or suspended or simply have a couple of off-days during the run-in, however, a more pertinent statistic may be his number of league assists - a paltry three, which shows how often his team-mates have spurned the chances he's created for them.
United have spoken much recently of how their experience could help them in the run-in. But the fact is attitude adjustment is needed at Old Trafford. Not least from Ferguson, whose passive formations against the big teams, particularly away in the Champions League, and apparent tolerance of slackness up front, encourage a Ronaldo-dependency that could yet sabotage their quest for trophies.
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actually i would agree with this article.
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Originally posted by trendz:
actually i would agree with this article.
me 2..ronaldo is saving the team mostly..tevez lost his goal scoring touch and form..rooney has poor finishing..nani is damn selfish...giggs 's 2 slow.. -
All the top four teams have run-in with the Champion League.
I guess the team kana kicked out the champion league will have a better chance of winning the BPL title.
Man Utd - Ronaldo and Rooney must be injury-free for them to achieve glory.
Arsenal - Confidence problem at the wrong time of the season.
Chelsea - Squad with sufficient depth to survive the last lap but let down by the manager.
Liverpool - Gerrard and Torres have to play every game to win, lack of depth in squad, kia see manager.
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hey guys, after reading this, and looking at it positively, isn't this very interesting?
SAF did not get a team of Robots who can play perfect football, he knows what he got when he bought tevez, anderson and even nani.
He knows these 3 needs time to settle when they were first bought, but timing/fate has given them a chance to showcase their raw talents. And I bet he delights in tweaking and improve just as most of us love to do with either our PC or cars, right? :)
They do have their ups and lows but what better to learn from the oldies like Scholes, Giggs even seasoned players like OwenH, EdwinVS, Rooney and even Ronaldo, and further accumulate valuable EPL experiences.
Nani will know thru Ronaldo, when to do flashy moves and when not to. At present his crossings aren't too bad, just maybe a bit selfish. but hey, he wants the ball. Isn't that good?
Some I know has neither the talent/confidence to ask for the ball, treating it like a hot potato, but this guy wants the ball, wants to go pass defenders, and try to score. I believe next season or even the one after, he will mature and he will then showcase his maturity and talent. Now imagine, Ronaldo and Nani on both flanks. And they only in mid 20s. Awesome.
Anderson, I had my doubts cause I expected more. But hey, with his no-fear, he has challenged fiberglass, Gerrard, and came out well. He is comfortable with the ball, works hard, cover his defence. Maybe not scoring as much as he wants, but hey, the amount of space he can improve into is tremendous. Plus he is working day in/day out with Scholes, Rooney. I believe they will pass him some shooting skills soon.
Rooney to me, has been one of SAF's most successful buys. With him on the field, I can put my feet up cause I know he will give 101% for MU. He may not score as much, but don't take away his assists, his running to space to open up for others like Ronaldo to attack. With ball at his feet, his body strength and speed allows him to pull away for defence or with his quick thinking, slide the ball in for his other team mates to score. Ask Saha, Ronaldo how much they appreciate our baby shrek.
All in all, this is a team game. I think all plays a part in pushing others to new heights. MUFC has a strong defence, good midfield, awesome attack.
Don't believe me, look at the league table, look at the goals difference, and lastly at the goals conceeded. Awesome..