Can the man who "sh*ts on Fabregas" actually prove that his season? for the big games?
So, Hargreaves is making fitness videos before making his move to Leicester (or whoever Eriksson is managing next month) and Scholes has gone to that great United cloud in the sky with Neville, Blackmore and Crerand – destined to now be only seen next to Gary Pallister on MUTV discussing United’s chances against that week’s opposition.
RedMancunia wrote on this very website that we currently have four central midfielders. Of those four Fletcher seems to have been struck down by some debilitating and genuinely worrying bug and Carrick plays marvellously for weeks on end only to be struck down by an equally debilitating bug in the big games – nerves – and Gibson… well, anyone remember Liam Miller?
Then there are those who are touting Cleverley as Scholes’ replacement and I can see a real chance of this happening. Ferguson has already hinted that we may be replacing from within and, as much as I want Sneijder in the 7 shirt, promoting from within is more akin to some of the great United teams of the past and, indeed, this current mercurial Barcelona team. This is a young man who has been taught the United way. He’s breathed and lived it and, more importantly, he knows the Premier League and the Premier League knows him after a very successful loan spell with Wigan.
However, my concern is that we’re all talking of Scholes’ replacement. He is irreplaceable. As was Cantona, Keane, Robson and as will be Giggs. You don’t buy like for these for the simple reason that they are one-offs. Sheringham was no match for Cantona but he won a Champions’ League and the same can be said for Keane’s ‘replacement’, Carrick, and Robson’s ‘replacement’, Keane himself. Cleverly can’t be the new Scholes –he can only be the new Cleverley.
Still, in saying this, is it his time? Is he old and mature enough to step up to the central midfield shaped plate at Old Trafford? Is Pogba? Ravel Morrison? All three of these players may need a season of Premier League and cup competition toe dipping to settle in before having a full season of Premier and Champions’ League football thrown at them.
Then there’s the fanciful ideas that Rooney could do it, Phil Jones has been signed as a midfielder, Ashley Young could play centrally and deep. One of my friends even claims Berbatov could drop back (personally, I’d love to see this but know, deep down, that it would never work).
After we’ve looked at in-house options then comes the transfer speculation. Nasri looks like he’s chasing the pound signs at Man. City, Modric, understandably, fancies staying in London and Sneijder isn’t on Fergie’s radar ‘at this moment in time’. Other names have been bandied about and it would be typical Ferguson to pluck out someone like Steven Defour on the last day of the transfer window. Deep down, I don’t think that the Sneijder deal is dead in the water yet. That’s still got legs, I’m sure.
So that’s everyone covered right? Pogba, Cleverly, Morrison, Modric, Berba, Rooney, Nasri, Jones, Young, Defour, Gibson, Sneijder… Oh wait, there’s one more. The forgotten man in this discussion. The dreadlocked, laid back Brazilian who nobody seems to want to admit could be the man for the job – Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira; ‘Anderson’. In a recent Independent interview the man himself said he fancies he could be player of the year next season.
Anderson has a wickedly blessed left foot, he’s got a composure on the ball that rivals Scholes’ own and he’s got a shot that Scholes would be delighted with. Why, then, hasn’t he proven himself over the past four years? I think it’s for a number of reasons, Giggs and Scholes being two of them, along with the 2009 form of Fletcher and injury problems for himself in 2010. I felt, however, that we gained a little glimpse as to what he’s capable of last season and next season he’s going to be ready to step up. Next year will be Anderson’s year. Trust me!
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NO!
Learn how to spell you silly twat
not in a thousand years…ando simply doesnt have it..talk about him replacing scholes????? let alone carrick he isnt fit to replace djemba djemba
YES HE IS,HE HAS D POTENTIAL TO BE A SUCCESS IN MAN U .
Fergie knows that he has enough talent to replace scholes in Cleverley, Anderson, Pogba or Morrison. I really hope Anderson can make it alongside Cleverley. Pogba And Morrison should get plenty of apps though. Next season, i hope, well see Mr. Tunnicliffe in the 16 jersey(sell Carrick) and become our new Keane.
yeeeeees heeeeeeeeeeee iiiiiiiiiiiiiiis
theeeeeeeeee maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan
yes he is the man if given Go ahead but i dont
think so as fergusen is so keen to keep this fucking carrick who does not have any thing to do in the team i dont know what he does for fergusen
if you see how he playes and does not bother to challenge for the ball and week to face his opponent he is very week physically and mentally
that is what i dont understand him doing with the for almost all these years can you explaine me why he is prefered over anderson this must do with above our comprehenssion
Anderson is the reason I’m not so concerned about our attacking side of CM (DM is our primary need). He’s great and though last season wasn’t quite breakout, he demonstrated marked improvement and much more consistency. As others said, give him the responsibilty and she how he responds. We should only look to the outside when our options within have failed.
Btw, he has braids, not dreads.
Anderson will have an important role to play next season, but I think its a risk to go into the season with him as our main attacking inspiration. We need a player of Wesley Sneijder quality and drive in our midfield. He is a top class player and a winner. Also he will inspire Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher and even Cleverley to step up there own game’s. We have four top wingers, so hopefully we can be a lot stronger next season.
However we are not a club that spends just for the sake of it. If we can’t sign Sneijder or another player of that quality, then we will not sign anyone. In that case then Anderson and Cleverley will be the two that will get the chance to make the position there own. It will be a big ask in my opinion, but a good challenge for both of them.
Wow, this really dividing opinion. But i have to agree with the article. Anderson has everything to be absolutely top class. Has does have pace! exceptional pace. Acceleration is top. He is an extremely athletic, agile footballer and if you can’t see that you obvisously haven’t got a clue. But he does need to play further forward. His old coach said last season how surprised that Man Utd weren’t using him to his full potential.
Also The times when he has come up against people like gerrard and cesc, he has dominated, but that hasn’t been to often for reasons mentioned earlier.
I think he will be a top top player, he just needs more responsiblility.
Players like Anderson (and Nani) always divide opinion, because they’re so often such hit & miss players. I really like him, hopefully he’ll be given the chance.
NO