It's time for Manchester United wingers to stop winging it!

It isn’t the first time that we’ve started the season slow and then picked up the pace in the second half, and by those standards, this season has been no different. And since the turn of the year, our performances have been on the up, as we’ve been keeping clean sheets, scoring goals and winning convincingly.

With the return of Vidic, Ferdinand and Evans to full fitness, Evra finally finding some form and Rafael blossoming into a phenomenal full back, what was our biggest headache at the start of the season is slowly becoming our biggest strength. But festering in the shadow of what was mostly our defensive incompetence at the time rather than a crisis, were underwhelming performances from our wingers.

Traditionally, wingers have always been our main creative forces in the past and have always been the driving force behind our title wins under Sir Alex, be it with Giggs, Beckham, Ronaldo, Kanchelskis or Sharpe. We have always depended on them to carve teams open, create chances and also score goals too. Combining with our fullbacks, Sir Alex’s effective use of the 4-4-2 has always been built on exceptional wing play and clinical finishing up front.

19 Aug 2001: Ryan Giggs (left) and David Beckham (right) of Manchester United celebrate during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match against Fulham played at Old Trafford, in Manchester, England. Manchester United won the match 3-2. \ Mandatory Credit: Alex Livesey /Allsport

This team is no different and in Valencia, Nani and Young, we have 3 of the best wingers in the game right now. In Valencia, we have a traditional winger, who can blast past defenders with his pace and put in inch-perfect crosses from the goal line. Nani is a modern winger, full of tricks, quick feet and excellent technique, a player capable of taking on two defenders and getting past them with consummate ease. Finally, there is Ashley Young, more of a wide midfielder than a winger, two footed and a player who can put in exceptional crosses.

So when our team boasts of such riches, it’s hard to believe that we have gotten so far this season and been so deadly upfront without a significant contribution from the trio. All three have failed to step up and perform for a variety of reasons; and if we are to go on and compete for the treble then I don’t think it is an understatement when I say, They must perform!

Here’s a look at the trio’s contributions to the team so far this season:

2012/13 Season
	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Antonio Valencia	26	0	5
Ashley Young	17	0	3
Nani	16	3	4

Crossing Stats
	No. of Crosses	Successful Crosses	Accurate Crosses/Game
Antonio Valencia	80	19	1.2
Ashley Young	112	22	1.1
Nani	47	7	0.7

Probably the biggest disappointment of the season has been Antonio Valencia, who has been a shadow of the man we’ve seen take apart the likes of Ashley Cole in the past. No longer do we see him maraud down the flanks while brushing off challenges with disdain and whipping in sumptuous crosses that deserve to be thumped into the back of the net.

Instead of the delightful treat of watching what was described above, we’ve had to endure a winger who looks more like fish out of water at times. To make matters worse, his crossing at times brings Bebe to mind, such has been his contribution this season.

Ashley Young, on the other hand, has had his share of injury troubles this season and has spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch since his arrival from Aston Villa. Young’s defensive contributions have been more noteworthy this season than his attacking influence and while that is all good to hear, it is something one doesn’t expect from our main winger. We are yet to see the man who scored those brilliant goals in our mauling of Arsenal last season surface again.

Nani, too, has had a start-stop season so far. It’s still a puzzle to many why Sir Alex has been reluctant to play Nani, with tabloids speculating that it was mainly because of his refusal to sign a new contract or that he was almost sold in the summer to Zenit St. Petersburg in the summer. While another tale doing rounds is that he slapped our young Italian midfielder Davide Petrucci and refused to apologize later. Whatever be the reason, Nani’s performance against Reading gave us another glimpse of the immense talent he has promised and teased our fans for so long but never delivered.

With an attack featuring Rooney, Hernandez and Van Persie, scoring so many goals even though our wingers haven’t really contributed much, imagine what would happen if we had an in-form Valencia, Nani and Young putting in inch-perfect crosses and harassing full backs. It is not wishful thinking but a possibility, one that has every chance of occurring and if it does, the potential of carnage is limitless!

And I’m going to go out on a limb and predict that if at least two of our trio of wingers come into form in the coming weeks, the treble is not going to be a distant dream anymore, but rather a very realistic opportunity!