A light-weight midfield and injuries might undo Manchester United’s campaign

It’s still early days of the 2012-13 season, but Manchester United has already had a growing injury list. Paul Scholes looks to be the key man again in the United midfield until Sir Alex finds someone to replace the “Ginger prince”. And United still have not brought in a specialist defensive midfielder. The results have been encouraging though, albeit with a few blips. But the performances haven’t always been of the eye-catching variety.

Watching the league game between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur was like seeing two Manchester United teams play. The team in the first-half was woeful: clueless on dealing with the pacy and powerful Tottenham midfield. Post interval perhaps due to the chastening hair-dryer treatment from the gaffer, United looked a completely different team. They played like conquerors, and champions pinning the Tottenham side in their own half and almost pulling of another famous comeback.

There have to be problems with a Manchester United team which is unable to perform throughout the full 90 minutes of a match. You just can’t win matches by playing well only for 45 minutes, especially against quality opposition. Rio Ferdinand was outpaced by Gareth Bale for the second goal and out-maneuvered by Defoe for the third. Jan Vertonghen was allowed ample amount of time and space to stroll into the penalty area by a pedestrian midfield to open the scoring.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s failed attempt to sign Moussa Dembele will be haunting him already as the Belgian almost single handedly dismantled the United midfield. He was very influential too while playing at Old Trafford with Fulham in the second game of the season which the Red Devil’s managed to win by a 3-2 scoreline. United’s lack of a ball-winning player with the tackling and tenacity of the likes of Roy-Keane has been well documented and last season’s performances in Europe literally stamped the fact that Manchester United are no longer feared by their opponents.

The Red Devils have looked potent in front of the goal which has more than compensated for their midfield and defensive worries till now. The magnificence of Paul Scholes has kept United in the trail of league leaders Chelsea. His masterful display against Tottenham in the second-half was a feast for the eyes. He along with Michael Carrick just swept aside the Tottenham midfield which had overwhelmed them in the first half.

The victory against Liverpool at Anfield in-spite of an abject display was assured as Scholes came in for last 10 minutes to add calmness and composure to the team. Scholes was also the architect for the comeback victory against the Saints. In fact, the United midfield just transforms from mediocre to mesmerizing when Scholesy is on top of his game. His infallible decision making, unerring passing accuracy hovering in the 90 percent range and the disguised nature of his balls is something United just can’t live without. That’s where-in the problem lies. United should not be depending on a 37 year old, who had to come out of retirement in January to make United title challengers against the Manchester City onslaught.

Tom Cleverley and Anderson look great in attack but the team loses its balance as none of them is a natural defensive midfielder. Michael Carrick has been played as a holding midfielder but he is not a runner and lacks the engine, and surely lacks the combative nature the position demands. He has done a good job but he is more of a deep-lying playmaker than a true holding player. Darren Fletcher is the closest United have to a defensive midfielder. But he has just returned from a career threatening bowel condition and needs time to get back to his best.

Playing Carrick and Scholes can be suicidal against technically gifted and pacy sides like the case against Tottenham. The two with their range of passing are great when United have the ball, but when the opponents have it they don’t have the legs to press the opposition. Cleverley is slowly finding his feet but needs to take his game to the next level to establish himself in the team. He gets in to great scoring positions but needs to improve on his finishing. Anderson may have his last chance to prove himself to Sir Alex. Both played very well and scored against Newcastle in the league cup match. They need to reproduce that form consistently, play with responsibility and more discipline, and hopefully remain injury-free. The duo can do a lot more to ease the goal scoring weight from the shoulders of the strikers.

Jack Rodwell would have made a great addition but the noisy neighbours swooped him in. The rumored interest of Sir Alex in the highly rated Belgian, Steven Defour seems to have grown cold. United need a defensive midfielder and the gaffer has to acquire someone in the January transfer window. United should also look to reinforce the squad with a playmaker to lessen the burden on Scholes.

If you see the top sides in the league, Man City have the likes of Rodwell and Gareth Barry in the defensive midfield roles which give license to the likes of Yaya Toure, and David Silva to bomb forward. A player of Toure’s stature and class can plug the gaping hole in the United midfield. Arsenal has Mikel Arteta in sublime form who seems to be enjoying the holding role. He has already made the most number of successful matches in the opponent’s half upto this point of the season, and his game perfectly entwines with the ball-playing nature of Wenger’s side. Chelsea has John Obi Mikel and Ramirez to add the grit and solidity to their midfield allowing the talents of Mata, Oscar and Hazard to cause maximum damage.

United themselves have looked great in attack with Van Persie, Rooney, and Kagawa. The striking department is doing well having already amassed 17 goals in the 7 games played. But the defense has looked shaky and without the midfield providing any sort of defensive cover, it’s been rocky times for the United backline. They have already conceded 9 goals in 7 premier league games with only two clean-sheets. The injuries have not helped either as the personnel change at the back does not allow any kind of partnership to develop. Chris Smalling is still out after undergoing a surgery on a broken metatarsal in July. Phil Jones who had a decent debut season last term is recovering from a muscle injury in his back.

Nemanja Vidic who had returned after an 8 month injury lay-off is once again out of action after undergoing a meniscus operation on his right knee. Reports say that Vidic will be on the sidelines for around 8 weeks. United will have to do without his services for 3 CL matches and 7 EPL games, which include matches against Chelsea and Arsenal. Jonny Evans has put in some commendable performances after recovering from an operation but needs to maintain his fitness after hobbling off the pitch in the game against CFR Cluj. Ferdinand is well past his best for over a year now and his recurring back problems don’t augur well for the team.

Though Ferdinand remains an expert reader of the game his loss of pace and agility makes him a liability against quicker and more technical players. Patrice Evra’s defensive side has been on a decliner in the past few seasons. He can still provide a few strong performances no-doubt, but his sense of positioning seems to have deserted him. In the game against CFR Cluj he was caught upfield when a brilliant cross-field pass from Rafael Bastos found the Cluj right-winger, who charged down Evra’s flank unchallenged and delivered a delightful cross leading to the first goal.

Alexander Buttner recruited from the Dutch side, Vitesse looks a good replacement. He gave an excellent account of himself in the Wigan game capping of a brilliant display with a fine solo goal. Scott Wootton and Michael Keane will be providing cover in case further injuries cripple a fragile United back-four. Such had been the injury-spree that Michael Carrick had to play in the center-back role against Everton, and wideman Antonio Valencia slotted in at right-back in absence of Rafael. During the course of last season also Carrick, Giggs, Valencia, and Fletcher before his injury had to put in emergency shifts as defenders.

The season has just begun and Sir Alex has the time to fine-tune his side. In-spite of all their difficulties and drawbacks, United lie second in the league, four points behind Chelsea and top their Champions’ league group with a maximum of six points. The never-say-die spirit, a Manchester United trademark has seen the side register four come-back victories already this campaign. Their success hinges on their attack.

If SAF can fit in fatman Rooney with Robin, United look capable of outscoring their opponents any day. The technically gifted Japanese attacking midfielder Kagawa has looked class apart. His intelligent link up play will certainly provide Van Persie and Rooney ample goal-scoring chances. The Japanese himself has got an eye for a goal. Goal poacher Chicarito and Welbeck are quality back-up .With Nani, Valencia, and Young providing width, United look to have more than enough fire-power up front.

Sir Alex has an innate ability to extract the best out of his players. With the inspiration from Scholes, wisdom of Giggs, passion from Rooney, intelligence of Kagawa, finishing of Van Persie and a few shrewd signings Manchester United can once again become a force to reckon with in Europe, and also claim their 20^th Premier league title.