Before the start of the season, and throughout the season a majority of United supporters have felt that United are a centre forward or two light up front. Anelka was available, United didn't bid for him. United have lost 5 times this season; on each occasion Rooney has not been playing. It's not only the imagination and movement that Rooney brings to the team, but he is currently the only fit centre forward in the entire first team squad. To be potent United need to have a centre forward playing; it's essential to their style. United have been become overly reliant on Ronaldo from the wing producing something extraordinary game after game. In the game against City, United did not have a single centre forward available, in the team or on the bench, not one. That was the major difficulty for the team.
The United team against Manchester City was very poor. With this sort of performance, this United team sadly are just not good enough to win the Champions League; and will not win the League. Compare the Arsenal performance against City when they imperiously swept them aside, to United's toothless, pallid performance just a week later. It was very, very disappointing for a team so highly trumpeted. I blame the management team. They need centre forwards. The boy Manucho looked very good playing for Angola in the Africa Cup of Nations. But what do United do? They send him off on loan to Panathinikos for the rest of the season, and decide instead to bring the very young Danny Welbeck into the first team squad. Why?
United cannot afford to pin their chances on Ronaldo producing magic in every single game and Rooney remaining fit and available for every single game. With another centre forward, even an average one, United would sweep all before them. Regrettably, that doesn't look as if its going to happen this season. I hope I'm proved wrong, but last August I was arguing in this forum that United needed another centre forward. Nothing has happened since to cause me to change my mind.
