Sir Alex Ferguson’s 25 years at Old Trafford have been defined by his decisiveness. A natural instinct to know when things are not right – and the strength of his convictions to remedy it right away.
The transfer window doesn’t open for the best part of two months – but the United manager should already be formulating plans to swoop in January.
Ferguson spent the summer looking for a creative force in midfield – and he still needs it now.
The uninspiring victories over Everton, Otelul Galati and Sunderland have only emphasised that point.
Tom Cleverley has looked outstanding when fit this season but without him United simply lack that spark from the middle of the park.
Wayne Rooney is not the answer.
He can play there with his eyes shut, such is his range of passing and energy – but to play him in a withdrawn role robs Ferguson of his most potent threat up front.
Sitting second at the start of November is far from a disaster but without a world class playmaker in January, United might just stay there.
What do you think? Have your say.
Feedback to Fergie
November 07, 2011
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Quite right. We needed a world class creative midfielder in the summer and should have gone out and got one. It seems that Snejeider fell through over money. Well in my book, and his achievements back this up, Sneijder is every bit as good a midfielder as Rooney is a striker, so paying him the same as Rooney shouldnt be a problem. I dont claim like some to be privvy to internal goings on, but from what i gathered we werent prepared to go that far. Considering when Rooney handed in his transfer request he cited a lack of ambition at the club he could hardly complain if we added someone of Sneijders class on the same money as himself. But i dont mean to limit this to Sneijder, he's not the only attacking midfielder out there, though he is one of the very best
We also could and should have signed a defensive midfielder. Carrick shuffling about in front of the back 4 is no kind of screen against a team worth their salt as Barca showed us emphatically in the 2 finals, and as Bayern did when they brushed him aside. Someone like De Rossi at Roma is the sort of standard we should be looking at. He's a bit mental but someone of comparable ability! Hell even Scott Parker would have been an improvement.
That leads me to Anderson. Is 4 and a half years long enough to see some improvement? I'd certainly have thought so. Yet for me he looks a poorer player now than he did in his first season. He tends to string to gether 3 or 4 good games and it keeps the fans onside, as it shows a tantalising glimpse of a good player, then he'll go an a 6 or 7 game poor run, like he's on now, where he seems to lose the ability to pass a ball. I was full of hope for him at the start of the seaosn, and after the first few games it was looking good but he's regressed again and its getting tiresome now
Either way, its not my job to identify the best possible players available but i do know for certain that there are considerably better central midfielders out there than what we have. City have laid down a big challenge for us in the league. In Europe Barca have signed Fabregas and Sanchez to add to their formidable midfield, and Real are getting stronger under Mourinho. If we send out Carrick and Anderson again against Barca then we'll lose again. And if we dont stop messing about and bring in proper quality we'll start to slip behind City. Theyve been a comedy club for yrs but they look to have their house in order now and we have no devine right to finish ahead of them.
we need two midfielders in january
m villa a far superior version of fletcher
martinez a far superior version of carrick.
play those 2 lad with young tom and we have amidfield 3 to compete with the best.
play 4-3-3 it will turn out be our best formation.
4-4-2 is ok if you have great central midfielders and wingers WE DONT.
Somedays I wish the MEN would introduce a thumbs down option for comments.
Lets be honest Alias you'd prefer it if you could just silence any comments that dont toe youre party line that everything and anything Man Utd is the bestest ever. If it were just yourself and T&C posting compliments to each other I suspect you'd be quite happy with that
Van der Vaaart? Proven in the premiership and threat in front of goal. Tottenham are also interested in Owen and there are other players im sure they would be interested in that we need to off-load.
What do you think?