Time to trust in Shinji?
In the Summer Manchester United signed a player to take them to another level, a player who’d dazzled football fans all over the world who’d been fortunate enough to see him play a major role in his sides success. A player who would play just behind Robin Van Persie.
Shinji Kagawa arrived at United with a reputation as one of the brightest young players in world football, following an inspiring season for Borussia Dortmund which not only saw the Germans do the double but also the diminutive attacking midfielder bag 17 goals in the process.
Kagawa may have been able to play in a number of positions but it was widely accepted that the best role for United’s new signing was just off the striker, where he’d been so effective for the record breaking German side.
Since he arrived at Old Trafford Kagawa has been used in a number of roles, around the midfield area, but not often enough has he been deployed as a ‘false 10’ for the duration of the game and not often enough has he been handed a start. Kagawa is a player who can elevate us to another level, but more often than not Sir Alex Ferguson prefers Wayne Rooney in the role best suited for the Japanese playmaker.
Rooney has had a productive season in terms of assists and a decent amount of goals but more often than not his performances have frustrated. Rooney may be a great striker who can drop deep but is he really a traditional ‘false 10’ in the way Kagawa is? Part of me feels that in order to accommodate Rooney, United have sacrificed the chance to take the team to another level by trusting Kagawa to form the partnership with RVP that could bring us even more than title number 20.
The solution would be to drop Rooney in favour of Kagawa, bringing him in to replace RVP when the striker needs a rest or even the former Dortmund player when the games are catching up with him.
It may sound crackers to drop a player of Rooney’s talents but if we’re to get the best out of Kagawa and let him form a gel with RVP maybe it’s for the best of the team?
Do you agree or is this all completely bonkers? Feel free to comment suggest and abuse below:
I’ve read some of the comments above and it seems a lot of fans want to go forward with Kagawa. This probably means sacrifising Rooney and Ferguson knows this as well. I have to say this is also my opinion as well. Its time to sell Rooney and get a good price for him.
We don’t have to sell Rooney, I think with two world class midfielders defensive and central kagawa could still flourish on the left, I donno if you’ve noticed the fact that kagawa has a good understanding with Rooney and that was there instantly from from their first game in Germany during pre season, but I dnt see that between him and rvp, to me the real problem is our midfield like someone mentioned above they are tentative pass it side ways can’t exploit space insecure on the ball etc. how many times shinji drops toooo deep to try to engineer something for us and actually with that midfield he has to drop till he’s right next to them otherwise they won’t be able to find him, the other problem is our brand of football, when was the last time united stringed more than 5 passes together without loosing it, shinji is used to play for a team who keeps the ball for fun a team that plays fluid football but we don’t, and to suggest Rooney should be sold is stupid because if I remember well in the champions league final he was the only one who was able to live with Barcelona, ok he’s not become the player some people hoped he’ll be but he’s still a good player
Months ago somebody said “sir alex doesn’t know what to do with kagawa”. That statement stands true to this very day.
Guys think about it,I mean what can shinji do when he plays with Valencia, Welbeck or even Nani who love to dribble till they loose the ball.I have seen HEAPS of times that shinji was asking the ball at percect place but end up not getting it. It’s got nothing to do with Wazza but other players that need to understand more.pls dont get me wrong Valencia Welbeck Nani, they are certainly top players.
lats face it. Rooney is a way overrated player. i could name dozzens of players in europe better than him. I do not know what happened to this great talent, but how it is now. we shouldt definitively give kagava the chance to establsh himself i the first team
Or play Rooney on the left.
Seriously, maybe better than Young (Young can cover for him) and Nani on that side, he’s got speed, can cross the ball, can cut in and shoot, and more than willing to track back…
RvP – Kagawa (just behind)
Rooney, Carrick, whoever, Valencia/Nani (whoever had a better form, or fitness)
Just think about it…