Rooney deserves all the accolades for a great achievement. But I agree with Piers Morgan in the Daily Mail who says Fergie is deceiving himself if he thinks a 5-0 win over a poor Wigan side (without Valencia, for one thing) means his problems are over. Morgan is spot one when he writes that United, without Ronaldo, is missing the X-factor, something that is can be defined as a special, magic "something." You know it when you see it.
United does not have that extra magic quality right now, a star-studded ability that will lift it head and shoulders above the other top teams in England. Morgan says it best: "You only had to see what happened when United won that penalty against Burnley last week to work out where the problem lies. In the good old days, wild horses wouldn't have torn a Ronaldo, Van Nistelrooy, Beckham or Cantona from gleefully seizing the ball and marching straight to the spot. They were Top Dogs, and knew no fear. But none of United's supposedly biggest players - Rooney, Owen etc - fancied it. So, instead, the hapless Michael Carrick was forced to shuffle reluctantly into the fray, missed, and cost United at least a draw. This one incident showed me that Sir Alex's men are missing the X Factor. They just don't have anyone prepared, or equipped, to step into Ronaldo's shoes. And unless their boss accepts this, and goes against the habit of a lifetime by changing his mind and buying big before the end of the transfer window, then they are not going to have it back again this season." Morgan adds: "If United want to win anything, I reckon they need a new top grade striker (Owen will score goals, but only play 20 games, and Berbatov's too lazy), a midfield playmaker and a world-class goalkeeper. Which should cost about . . . well, £80 million, ironically. That's the price of acquiring the X Factor in the new world order of absurd, moneyspinning modern football. So, if I was a United fan, I'd stop screaming my delight at annihilating a pathetic Wigan, and start screaming at my manager: 'Stop being so damn stubborn and get your wallet out.' "
Well said, Morgan. And as a Man U fan who wants only the best for and from this legendary team, I ask, in all good faith: Can Fergie bring himself to seek out the X factors between now and the end of August????? Or will he allow his pride and his arrogance to stand in the way????
United does not have that extra magic quality right now, a star-studded ability that will lift it head and shoulders above the other top teams in England. Morgan says it best: "You only had to see what happened when United won that penalty against Burnley last week to work out where the problem lies. In the good old days, wild horses wouldn't have torn a Ronaldo, Van Nistelrooy, Beckham or Cantona from gleefully seizing the ball and marching straight to the spot. They were Top Dogs, and knew no fear. But none of United's supposedly biggest players - Rooney, Owen etc - fancied it. So, instead, the hapless Michael Carrick was forced to shuffle reluctantly into the fray, missed, and cost United at least a draw. This one incident showed me that Sir Alex's men are missing the X Factor. They just don't have anyone prepared, or equipped, to step into Ronaldo's shoes. And unless their boss accepts this, and goes against the habit of a lifetime by changing his mind and buying big before the end of the transfer window, then they are not going to have it back again this season." Morgan adds: "If United want to win anything, I reckon they need a new top grade striker (Owen will score goals, but only play 20 games, and Berbatov's too lazy), a midfield playmaker and a world-class goalkeeper. Which should cost about . . . well, £80 million, ironically. That's the price of acquiring the X Factor in the new world order of absurd, moneyspinning modern football. So, if I was a United fan, I'd stop screaming my delight at annihilating a pathetic Wigan, and start screaming at my manager: 'Stop being so damn stubborn and get your wallet out.' "
Well said, Morgan. And as a Man U fan who wants only the best for and from this legendary team, I ask, in all good faith: Can Fergie bring himself to seek out the X factors between now and the end of August????? Or will he allow his pride and his arrogance to stand in the way????