The Scottish skipper is one of a number of midfield options
Some say we need a couple of new central mid-fielders. I find myself asking the question – Why?
Rewind to the start of the season and you will have found most Manchester United fans excited at the blossoming partnership of Tom Cleverley and Anderson. It seemed that Tom Cleverley had made most fans forget about the failure to sign Wesley Sneijder and it seemed that he may be the replacement for Paul Scholes.
The partnership looked good. Neither player is really a defensive midfielder. Also, neither is really a really attacking midfielder. The thing they had was an understanding. They knew where each other were and could find each other with short, crisp passes. They could easily find other team-mates with ease. It seemed that they had a bit of Barcelona about them.
With Ashley Young and Nani on the wings, we were getting the goals. I don’t think I have ever seen a Manchester United team with such attacking wide men. With them in such good form, the job of Anderson and Cleverley was to keep the ball and find them. With Young and Nani being so attacking, I think it was important for us not to have such an attacking central midfielder.
Then came the Bolton game. A rough challenge by Kevin Davis saw Tom Cleverley ruled out for a few weeks. Then it seemed to fall apart. Our form dipped in the league, we struggled a bit in Europe and there was ‘that’ result against City.
Everyone seemed to blame the midfield on this. Despite us having to chop and change at the back and poor performances by other players, in other positions, it seems that the main focus of fans displeasure, was the central midfield, and one player in particular.
Wednesday’s Champion’s league game was a prime example. Half of the team had a really poor game, but it was one player who got most of the stick. Anderson. In the game, he was no worse, and no better than most of the players on the pitch. Yet, people used the game as an example of why we need a new central midfielder. Well, in that case, we need a new winger, two new strikers and a new left back.
I’m going to make a statement here, a statement that I know that the majority of Manchester United fans will disagree with. We do not need a new central mid-fielder. We don’t need Wesley Sneijder. We don’t need Ever Banega. We don’t need Cheik Tiote. We don’t need Lucas Biglia.
I’ll admit, at the start of the start of the season, I would have loved us to sign a new central mid-fielder. I said on many occasions that we should sign Sneijder or Banega. However, like most Manchester United fans, the partnership of Anderson and Tom Cleverley excited me, it still does. I believe it has the potential to win us trophies. When Tom Cleverley is fully fit again, I can see him and Anderson doing what they did at the start of the season.
Also, signing a new central mid-fielder in the January transfer window, could cause us a major problem. It could influence the big decision Paul Pogba has to make. With his contract expiring at the end of the season and some of Europe’s top clubs sniffing around, being pushed further down the pecking order might just nudge him to do something that no Manchester United fan wants him to do.
We are in a better position this season, than we were at the same point last season, yet we still need to improve the mid-field? Not in my opinion.
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While the prospect of Anderson and Cleverly blossoming together is exciting, If one of them gets injured we lose the other one as well. This isnt an ideal situation for a club like United who play every 3/4 days. We need someone who can substitute for them and still play our same attacking football. I’d love to see someone promoted for the Reserves. Mayb Pogba, Morrison, Tuncliffe.
the only reason why i think that we need a new cmf is that we can’t depend only on cleverley…because we see what happens when he gets injured…plus he will not be in form the entire season and we need high quality options…and i’ve given up on anderson already…come on man, it’s been his , what 5th season already ?
my friend you miss 1 important fact ,this is man united we are talking about , a team to challenge bar ca real and bayern of the world not a team to be walloped 6 by man city , with a good mid the strikers and even defense can express themselves but with the mediocre mid of Anderson of the world no 3 on the league will be a big achievement leave alone a quarter finals in the champions league
I’m sorry, but Anderson has been inconsistent ever since his debut campaign. That’s why people were quick to jump on him the other night. Cleverley is a good player, potentially a great one, but come on placing all our hopes on him after a few games is a bit absurd. Because as we’ve seen the last few seasons he can be a bit injury prone. Made 25 appearances for Wigan last season, got injured at the tailor end of his campaign at Watford and his missed over a month of this campaign. Anderson shouldn’t need a another player to play at his best. Did Roy Keane? Did Paul Scholes?… Yes certain partnerships can bring the very best out of each other, but Vidic is still a brilliant player with or without Ferdinand, ditto Rooney without Hernandez. We’ve been reduced to playing our best striker, as a CM. Our midfield is a weak link. Theres no point in denying it. We got fucking wiped aside by Man City and Barcelona recently. Yes our defense hasn’t been settled this season, but look at Saturday. We had Rio, Vida and Evra all in the team, yet we played so lethargic and without purpose. Saying it was because of SAF anniversary is a lazy excuse, we’ve been playing like that a lot since we destroyed Bolton. We have a very very good team and we’ll be up there at the end of the season no doubt, but to say we don’t have a midfield problem is very illogical.
John O’Shea played in midfield, while we still had players like Paul Scholes in the team. Was that a sign of weakness?
We were the better team against City, Untill the red card.
Half, of our now first choice midfield (Cleverley & Young) didnt play against Barcelona. Its like saying, lets flog Phil Jones and David De Gea, because we conceeded 3 against Barcelona last season.
Our problem usually relates to the absence of our defensive pair of Ferdinand and Vidic. They created a natural understanding that whenever one is missing the other is more destructive than useful. We have also never hand a right back since the departure of Garry Nevell. Other wise what are low class players doing at a high class club like united. Evans, Park, Fletcher, Carrick, Fabio, please pay someone to bin these pretenders.
have you guys seen Pogba play before? is he an answer to United’s mid-field?
Pogpa should be given the chance.
Fergie needs a celearout and new midfielders full stop.
Fletcher aka ‘fregie’s lovechild’ has had 1 good season throughout his career which sadly is not good enough as he’s gone backward since :(.
Carrick needs selling as he wouldn’t get in any other top 4 team.
Giggs needs to retire and try to convince Ferige to use the younger players.
Evans needs selling. He is useless. City game proves my point.
Gibson and P.I.G. need selling also.
Between the above fees and what it’d free up in wages would contribute to a good few new signings surely!!??
Anderson also needs a kick up the backside. He plays amazing at the start of the season but fails to dominate against mediocre european opposition. I’d give him the rest of the season and if he doesn’t improve sell him.
I am amzed at the simplistic acceptance that MUFC do not need more midfield players because at present this area is a joke and cannot even cope well with the likes of an unknown financially poor Bulgarian side.
My watching days include the Busby Babes and they were quality players who did not like Anderson, Carrick et al try silly short passes in front of their six yard area.
In all honesty unless at least two new quality midfielders are bought United may be struggling for the rest of the season but perhaps Fergie is a typical stingy Scot.
pogba is very overrated player.He is expert on back-passes just like carrick.