I Can be Your Hero, Bébé
On this week’s post-FA Cup Ed & Paul talk about United’s draw with Chelsea at Old Trafford in which Sir Alex Ferguson’s side ran out of legs. Did defeat to Real Madrid take more out of the Reds than expected? We tackle the biggest issues of the week, including Rio Ferdinand’s recall to the England squad. Also on this week’s show: we take your questions, debate the battle to avoid relegation, look forward to United’s fixture with Reading at Old Trafford and give away a fine competition prize from China Town Branch.
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Hi Guys: Great show as ever, but..I’m afraid I agree Cleverley was beyond terrible on Sunday, and at 23-4 I don’t think he deserves the benefit of (any?) doubt for very much longer – at least as a first teamer.
I wanted Cleverley to be part of the answer to our midfield problems, but I think it’s obvious that he will never be more at United than a very useful squad player. Against Cheatski, Carrick was below standard, but Cleverley was much worse, and this created a huge problem for Sir Alex, who, unlike Benitez, had no game changer on his bench to bring on in place of an ineffective midfielder. The substitution Sir Alex should have made was to remove Cleverley and bring on Welbeck—Rooney to move next to Carrick, Kagawa to play behind Chicharito, and Welbeck on the left—instead of swapping strikers, neither of whom could prosper without service. Until United have a similar quality in the first XI and depth on the sub’s bench in the midfield that is enjoyed in the central defender and striker positions, it will never truly be a strong side, never mind Treble winners.
youre too fair on valencia ed,
even if its one from him and young to go, id probably pick valencia
See, this is the problem rob..to change one position you are having to shift half the team…this then again upsets the balance and in turn creates no consistency…
If a player is playing shit you should be able to say swap him like for like but for us to make a change in midfield like that we just cannot.
Doubt he will buy any midfielders in the summer so be prepared to duplicate these comments for the next few years.
See, this is the problem rob..to change one position you are having to shift half the team…this then again upsets the balance and in turn creates no consistency…
If a player is playing shit you should be able to say swap him like for like but for us to make a change in midfield like that we just cannot.
Doubt he will buy any midfielders in the summer so be prepared to duplicate these comments for the next few years.
LKHF
faffing
I’m already in year three, and rapidly running out of ways to say that our midfield is not good enough.
I’ve been saying it since 2003 tbf… Fact is we’ve bought no world class midfielder to the club since veron. And we ruined him.
We have 6 centre-mids (kind of) but Fergie doesn’t trust half of them. Fletcher and Anderson haven’t started a game against a top 7/8 side all season. Giggs hasn’t started at CM against a good side since that liverpool game early in the season. Scholes is just coming back from an injury which has kept him out for all the games in 2013. To be fair to him, he played a key role in a few comebacks and since he’s been injured, our ability to control games has evaporated. Barring some very good form to end the season (can’t be ruled out after a 3 month rest) he probably won’t earn another contract though. Cleverley has been given all the opportunity he could have asked for this season and has not developed as hoped. It’s clear he’s not quite ready to be first choice at United. Jones will become a CB and Powell will likely get a loan before joining United’s first team.
We still have lots of bodies but the quality has slid significantly since the start of the season with older players declining and the younger players stuttering development. The problem is I can’t see how Fergie can clear space for some CMs. Giggs and (maybe) Scholes will be welcomed back for their impact in the dressing room and on the training ground. We can’t turn our back on Fletcher. Cleverley will (and should) be given time. Anderson might go – hopefully after so many years we can accept that it was money down the drain.
On the other hand, I’m not sure Fergie will wait any longer to take this on. He recognised that Rio and Vidic were past their best and now we have an excellent young group of defenders. He saw our over reliance on Rooney and chased Lewandowski and bought van Persie. He addressed the lack of creativity in the middle by bringing in Kagawa. He managed to successfully replace VDS at the first attempt. He’s already bought a young winger for next season. There’s nothing left to do, but fix the midfield.
AT LIZ WORSLEY !!!!