Will the Mancunian get another real chance this season?
January 2010 provided every Manchester United fan with one extremely dismal day; In fact, I seriously doubt there have been many worse moments in the history of fixtures at Old Trafford.
A mouth watering FA Cup, third round tie with our rivals from across the Pennines, Leeds United.
Long forgotten were the days of Mark Viduka, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Champions League encounters and Premiership title run ins.
Administration and relegated to League 1 for the men in white, this game was already a foregone conclusion with pundits and journalists up and down the UK, an opportunity to laugh at the outfit from Yorkshire, a chance for the red rose to slay the white rose, a chance to really rub salt into the wounds of their recent demise…. Or a chance for an upset?
The echoes of jubilant Leeds fans rang around Old Trafford at the final whistle, and to be honest with you – they were worth their 1-0 victory.
Sir Alex Ferguson, not for the first time had put out a weakened side; one that should have been strong enough to see off any League one outfit, whether they were a bitter rival or not. However the likes of Gabriel Obertan and more importantly, Danny Welbeck, came in for huge criticism after the game.
Almost two years on and Danny Welbeck has started the 2011/12 season extremely well; The young striker has scored two goals in three starts and was putting in performances of the highest level – If anything, he looks like a new £20million signing.
Perhaps spending a season on loan at Steve Bruce’s Sunderland helped him mature? Perhaps it was his age and having developed over the last year and a half from a gangly boy into a sizable man has given him a bigger presence up top? Perhaps he learnt his lesson the hard way and realised just what it will take to make it at United?
It can only be described as a massive shame for Danny Welbeck that he picked up an injury in the home victory over Arsenal and will be out for five weeks. Perhaps he was lucky to find himself starting regularly in the first place, as it was down to an injured Javier Hernandez that left an opening – and being selected ahead of Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Owen, Mame Biram Diouf and Kiko Macheda showed a massive belief in this local lad from the manager.
What happens now? Five weeks out is a long time. Will he walk back into the side again now that Hernandez is fit? I doubt it.
With a third round Carling Cup draw taking Manchester United to Elland Road against the side that almost ruined his chance of making it at Old Trafford, and knowing Sir Alex does like to rotate his squad for Carling Cup fixtures, I ask what happens if Berbatov and Owen both put in impressive displays and Welbeck falls further down the pecking order?
Come mid November will he consider going back out on loan if he finds himself fourth choice and only getting an odd ten minutes here and there?
At his young age, Welbeck does have time on his side; with Owen and Berbatov in their thirties you would have to believe he is the future – but surely any professional who is hungry to be the best and play week in week out at the top level of the game will definitely not settle to be a back up player?
International aspirations always play a major role in these situations – will he get picked at senior level for England if he cannot even get a regular start at United?
Maybe I am over analysing this situation but how many of us honestly believe he will walk straight back into the starting eleven? I hope he does, but I do not expect that he will.
Manchester United are lucky to benefit from having such a talented group of strikers to pick from this season; a great mix of speed, skill, youth, experience and above all, many deadly finishers – however, when he regains his full match fitness, I think Danny Welbeck may find himself out of favour due to this misfortunate and badly timed injury – this for me is the unluckiest of circumstances.
Follow Nathon on twitter @Nathonw and Redflagflyinghigh @RFFH
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I think wellbeck and hernandez will both get there fair share of game time, saf seems intent on developing the young players and getting them playing together regularly. I don’t think either one of them is better than the other one. these 2 young players are both keeping berba on the bench which is a testament to the clubs youth system
I believe SAF will do what he always does; be patient and loyal to the players he believes in and takes time to develop. E.G. Anderson, Nani, Carrick (at most season’s end when everyone is doubting him), Evans, Da Silva twins, and the plethora of other young talents he’s waited to develop. His judgement is imoecible as far as it goes for ANY MANAGER IN ANY SPORT. Of course im not suggesting we haven’t lost a few, Pique, Rossi, Possibly Hargreaves………….? Shawcross, Foster, any others im missing?
zoran tosic. your prob aint heard of him but magnus eikrem never played a first team game but hes wonderfully gifted hes playing back in his native norway now tho i think hes playing under solskaer many premiership teams have atleast one united reject newcastle have a few obertan the latest
WB and JH are quite different types of players. JH is a poacher while WB gets more involved in the build up play. Can’t say which is better, but based on goals, JH is better. Both still hv lots of room for improvement. SAF shd rest WR once in a while to give opportunities to the other strikers. They need the play time, esp. Berba.
I think welbeck will still get the games he needed because he improves a lot with the control and being a #9 striker. I think saf is changing our style of play to a much faster pace which Owen and berba will only slow it down
Na owen wd nt slow it down much. Berba DEFO wd…
January the 3rd,
remember the date,
we beat the team that we fuckin’ hate,
we knocked the SCUM out ot the FA cup,
we’re SUPER LEEDS and we’re goin’ up!!!!
Bring it on you red filth!!!
’92 – the last time you won a trophy, right?
Did Leeds get a cup after that game??? NO!!
It didn’t need a trophy. Watching all the scummers cry was priceless!!!
Its not all about winning trophies, its about supporting your team through think and thin. 99% of scum fans are glory hunters.
How many will defect to the blue side of Manchester once Man City start winning honours?
Ok, well as I am not bitter I would like to say please do continue to enjoy your one moment of happiness and we will continue to enjoy our success.
99% really? Where did you find that statistic from?
Where do I get 99% from?
Even in my home city of Leeds, there are plenty of people who jump on the Man U band-waggon because they have been the most successful team for the last 20 years.
EVERY Man United fan that I have ever known has at some point supported a different team. I mean, everybody knows that Man United are the pride of Singapore.
Yes you are right, we are the pride of Sigapore…. and Japan, Ukraine, France, Lapland, Never Never Land and above all ENGLAND!
A massive club, not only with a massive history but still currently doing it!
Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool and AC Milan are the only clubs with worldwide support. Man or Woman. Young or Old.
Leeds is more a local club for local people.
How are you confusing a team that has world wide support to a team that has glory hunting fans?
Are you thick or just deluded because I simply cannot work it out. This surely must be a wind up because no human can be this stupid.
Maybe if your club opened its mind to the fact that someone from outside of the area might support the club, you wouldnt have found yourself tumbling down the divisions!
Manchester United embraces its fans all around the globe. From Salford to Shanghai. How can you not understand this?
How pathetic!!
Being a glory hunter is nothing to be proud of. No doubt you and the Singapore brigade were supporting Liverpool during Man United’s 26yrs wait for a championship win in the 70’s and 80’s. Scum fans are a bunch of passionless glory hunters who have more clubs than Tiger Woods,so its no wonder the atmosphere at Old Trafford resembles a morgue.
Easy come, easy go. The Singapore brigade won’t follow a losing team. As soon as Man U go through a bad patch, the international support you have gained will just jump ship and switch to the next successful club- FACT.
Enjoy your success, whichever team you happen to be supporting this season. I will continue to support my beloved LEEDS UNITED, no matter how bad we are, or whatever division we are in.
Your theory tells me that there isnt a Man United fan over 20 years old right? Being as the majority of our success has happened since 92.
What are you talking about, you mad man?!
Man U won European cup in ’68 and even when they went through their 26 year wait for a league title win, they have always been high profile & won the odd trophy here and there.
Clubs like Man U, Barcalona, Liverpoool, Real Madrid will always attract glory boys. I bet even Man U have lost “support” since their battering in the Champions League final.
Incidentally, which part of Manchester are you from….? Er, let me guess…..London?
Ok so you are saying everybody since 1968 is a glory supporter?
If Leeds start winning trophies will that make you or any younger Leeds fan a glory hunter?
Your argument is floored because your target audience is too broad. If you targetted 17 year olds who have only supported United since the treble season, I can accept that – but to say 99% of United fans are glory hunters is laughable.
As a matter of fact I do live in London; My dad is Manc and my Mum is Irish – so do you think at the age of five my dad would say to me – “Now we live in London I want you to support West Ham”… It doesnt work like that and you know it.
If you moved to London would you support Arsenal or Chelsea?
Obviously, not EVERY Man U fan is a glory hunter, but you do have a lot.
I’ll repeat what I said a few days ago. Almost all Man U fans who aren’t from Manchster have supported another team at some other point or another and if you are totally honest, you will admit that is a fact.
ps. I’ll give your dad credit. He is 100% right to bring you up as a Man U fan because where ever I lived, any offspring of mine would support Leeds United.
HIS ONLY CHALLENGE SHOULD COME FROM CHICHA.I CALL HIM MAN U VERSION OF HENRY & 4 BERBA,OWEN,MACHEDA&DIOUF-THEY POSE NO THREAT COS HE HAS PROVEN TO BE BETTER THAN THE LOT.
Not exactly proven to be better yet. Has made a good start to the season but surely you can only be proven across the course of a full season, maybe even longer than that?
dude owen and berbatov dont need to prove them selves in front of a 20 yr old boy….or for that fact in front of the world…id rather pick berba or owen in front of him so that even they get a chance to play…..i mean why even keeep that much talent on the bench when ur gonna make them play a bit part loan!!!!!
Karan, to pick Owen ahead of Welbeck will go against the development of the club. With Owen’s injury history and the rate of Welbeck’s development in the past months Welbeck must play as regularly as possible, i’d also like to see Kiko play more,
but have you seen the kind of experience he brings to the team and the front line….i mean he scores a hattrick and fergie puts him on the bench….berba scores 20 goals ,fergie puts him on the bench….y…when rooney keeps him place in the 11 even after his shambolic performance last season…then they deserve a proper chance to play and prove to every1 that they belong in the 11…..kiko needs premier league experience and not with man utd ….on loan…and diouf needs an equal chance if welbeck is been looked up
We’ll see how long he is actually out. Rio magically returned early, so who knows when Welbeck will be back. I hope sooner rather than later as Welbeck is a more dynamic threat to score than Hernandez.
Bottom line is that NO, this is not the end of his season at United. He’s right there with Hernandez ahead of Berbatov and the rest given his early form.
I’m sorry but i can’t understand the massive deal about Welbeck. He played crpa in the community shield, lets me honest, then he scored a couple of heads and now he is better than Hernandez? Last season Welbeck scored what 7 or 8 goals in all competitions, Hernandez got 20 as we all know. So Welbeck is better? He only had one foot and is just a lump. Honestly reminds me of Heskey. I don’t think i’ve ever felt this way about a United player but it fustrates me when they say he is equal to my beloved Hernandez.
Granted welbs is nt as gd as hernandez scorin wise bt to call him a lump is RIDICULOUS… plus bein fair hernandez did tek part in 20 mre ganes den welbs and welbs did get injured half way thru da season so we will neva knw hw many he ACTUALLY wd hav vt… Put ur brain in to gear son and support the young talent we hav…
Welbeck also played right wing most of the time at Sunderland, He does have a great understanding with Rooney, Cleverly, young and Anderson shown by his back heel, and “That goal” in the community shield. Sometimes the better individual is not always the best option for the team, in the same way Cleverly and Anderson so far looking great in the middle of the field while either would prob not look as good with for eg. Carrick sitting deep and not getting involved with build up play.
Absolutely agree that SAF does want to develop young players but it feels like this injury could put him 10 steps backwards.
Danny will still get a fair share of big games, you must be a complete idiot to think he wouldn’t.
Constructive. Of course he will get games – but he was STARTING ahead of everybody else; Will this continue on his return from injury?
If it doesnt, and he finds himself fourth choice, I would deem that as an injury that ruined his season.
Stupid article really, will his season end just because of an injury? What encouragement does that give to other young players trying to make the breakthrough? No logic behind it what so ever.
Wellbeck and rooney will be first choice again when hes back with hernandez as the game changing super sub. Berba and owen arent needed im afraid.
Are you telling me a player has never lost his position in a team due to injury?
I am not saying his season WILL end, I am merely suggesting being out for five weeks gives the others the chance to leapfrog him in the pecking order – it happens.
Hernandez as a super sub is a logical view however towards the back end of last season he was keeping Berbatov out of the team who had scored 20 goals, so I wouldn’t be too sure he will not keep Welbeck out of the team who has only scored twice.
Sorry Kev, Can’t see Welbeck starting ahead of Hernandez, He’s had a great start and got better with every game, but if Hernandez plays 85% of what he did last year and in the Gold cup, He’l be first choice. I’d love to see time shared as I really want Welbeck to continue improving as he is doing. So glad to have the headache of not knowing my favorite starting forwards. Do think Berba and more-so Owen will be merely back when everyone is fit. Risk of injury to owen will prob see him used sparingly.
Stupid article? I think you needed to read it properly before writing an inane comment, Kev.
Good piece Nathon, bad luck for Wellbeck who was lookign the part having a run in the side. Although he’ll get games, I do believe he’llplay second fiddle to Rooney and Chicha for the rest of the season…but he’ll be an important joint 3rd choice striker alongside Berba.
He eda played 2nd fiddle no mata weva he gt injured or nt… He started becos chicha was injured. FACT. Chicha will thrive roo and young with him as soon as hes back to FULL sharpness… Welbs will get 20-30 games guaranteed. ROTATION CHAPS ROTATION…