Rio Ferdinand, Manchester United’s Most Important Player?

Is there a more valuable player to United than Rio?

The PFA nominations have been met with a mixture of incredulity and disbelief by many of the Old Trafford faithful.

No Berbatov? No Van Der Sar? Nani only nominated for Young Player? No Darron Gibson? It seems professional footballers sometimes live up to their reputation of being a bit thick to put it kindly.

While the PFA awards are about as important as next weeks episode of The Only Way Is Essex, the feeling of United being hard done by isn’t totally fair. After all, while Berbatov has been outstanding, he’s not even guaranteed a first team place so it’s perhaps not totally inconceivable that he’s missed out on the nominations.

Van Der Sar has been superb but it’s very difficult for a ‘keeper to stand out to other players especially when he’s only called into action -usually- once or twice a game.

The big Dutchman has been awesome but missing out on the PFA’s will probably bother him about as much Jim MacDonald’s financial worries on Corrie. It seems the fact that Nani has failed to make the senior PFA list is the decision that has irked most Reds and while I too found it surprising, I, probably like Mr Da Cunha, won’t be losing too much sleep over it.

All the aforementioned players have been fantastic for United this season as has a certain young Mexican forward who seems to have lifted the entire club’s spirits.

Some of the media have labeled United ‘The Unconvincibles’ such has been The Reds trait of winning while not performing all that…..’convincingly.’ Despite this somewhat oversimplifying moniker there’s been more than a few stars in the team that have stood out as having great seasons.

Wayne Rooney has put the contract debacle behind him- although not every United fan has- to finally start showing the form he’s capable of at just the right time.

Nemanja Vidic who did make the PFA list has shown yet again why he was so courted by Real Madrid in the Summer, with yet another superb season.

Patrice Evra continues to make a mockery of the idea that Ashley Cole is the best left back in the world, with displays so consistently good, when he does have an off day it’s as rare as a Fernando Torres hat-trick.

There’s also the unsung heroes of the team, players that may not hear their name sung as often others but whom without United would be facing the sort of season, they’re enjoying or should that be enduring- at the Emirates.

Ji Sung Park has shown his importance by picking up exactly where he left off before his absence, while Michael Carrick may not be everyone’s cup of tea but his supporters claim that he’s actually the most important cog in the United machine.

While every player mentioned has more than played their part in United’s so far successful season I’d argue that The Reds can afford to rest any of them and still be triumphant.

Rooney’s ban for the FA Cup semi final is not the blow it would’ve been last season, thanks to the form of his two strike partners. Carrick Fletcher, Anderson, Scholes and Giggs have all played centre midfield and have all been dropped for tactical reasons at one time or another this season.

Vidic is something of a rock who absence will always be felt, but I’d argue that with the form of Smalling even the loss of the Serbian could be handled, although it would be a blow.

One player though who for me is the difference between first and second, between attaining the treble and finishing empty handed, is the most famous tweeter in football.

Rio Gavin Ferdinand, is still without doubt the finest centre back on the planet and his return to the United side couldn’t have come at a better time. Last season many cited the injury to Wayne Rooney in Munich as the reason United missed out on the two top honours.

I’d argue that the reason United finished empty handed was due to the absence for a good two thirds of the season of the famous Peckham ‘merker’ and former England skipper.

Ferdinand’s importance to the United team cannot be underestimated and while The Reds are capable of beating the likes of Fulham and West Ham without him, to defeat the top teams and win trophies, @Rioferdy5 is a must.

It’s not just Ferdinand’s defensive ability it’s the way he commands the area and organises the back four which make him fundamental to United’s success.

Call me crazy, but for me Ferdinand is still United’s most important player.

Am I chatting nonsense yet again? Feel free to comment, insult or enlighten below:

FOR ALL THE LATEST UNITED NEWS AND OPINIONS WHY NOT GIVE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE A LIKE? CLICK HERE: REDFLAGFLYINGHIGH

[bet_365 type=’odds’ size=’300′ af_code=’365_061447′]