Will Manchester United’s squad last the distance?
Many fans of opposing teams and media pundits alike believe United has rode its luck this season. They’ve claimed that United has a very thin squad and injuries are yet to test it.
Well, the time has come to see whether this issue is true or not. To see whether United or their detractors will be left with egg on their faces come the end of the season and this crucial month in the race for various trophies.
This past week alone United have suffered injuries to key personnel while also losing arguably one of Ferguson’s shrewdest signings of his career. Giving rise to the question whether united will ultimately cope with this test of their resources. In a space of one week Fletcher and Solksjaer where lost to knee injuries, Saha to a hamstring problem, Evra to a calf problem and Silvestre to a dislocated shoulder after a vicious assault from Lille’s “bull” Tavilaridis.
This coupled with the departure of the Swede legend, and Scholes 3 match local suspension, has left United slightly thin accross midfield and with only two fit and recognised strikers upfront.
Many a pundit like the ones of Fooball365 will tell you United have run out of luck and this time they will be found out. But is that true really? The only thing on the ground that looks true is that United are suffering a slight blip in terms of form. Especially in attacking terms. They have won the last 4/5 games playing brilliantly defensively yet surprisingly poor as an attacking unit with only individual magic from Giggs and Ronaldo pulling them through. However once that attacking from returns the only question remaining will be is what state is the United squad really in?
Currently United have the following lads available for first team football for this important month of their assault on 3 fronts:
Keepers: Edwin Van De Sar, Tomasz Kuszack, Tom Heaton
Defenders: Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic , Gabriel Heinze, Wes, Brown, Patrice Evra
Midfielders: John Oshea, Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Roaldo, Crhis Eagles, Ji sung Park, Kieran Richardson, Paul Scholes
Strikers: Alan Smith, Wayne Rooney and Dong Fangzhou.
At first glance things look bad. With Scholes out for 3 games and Carrick not in the greatest form United look thin in the middle. Upfront too without the injured Solksjaer and Saha.
However deeper analysis actually shows a lot of people are clutching at straws here. United’s only real loss in this period has been the departure of Larsson and Saha’s injury robing United of a natural “Lead the Line”, goal scoring center forward.
In Giggs, Scholes, Ronaldo and Dong, pundits forget United have 4 players who can all play upfront alongside Rooney and a fresh and revitalised Smith with devastating effect. They also forget the last time United had such a problem, the season Smith was signed, he stood up and was counted in the goal scoring stakes. Surely a fresh Smith can do so again since he is probably fighting for his United future, with a big name Larrson/Ruud replacement sure to be signed in the summer.
They have also forgotten in midfield, Giggs can always be brought in from the wing to beef up that department, leaving Richardson, Park and Eagles even to cover one wing. A thing which Park most especially can do very well.
Looking at all these factors, and the fact United’s defence is still unbelievably strong despite losing to key personnel, United still looks set to be very strong on all fronts. And with Solksjaer and Saha likely to be back by latest the first week of April, United,
once they most likely get through this month unscathed, will have back two well rested and lethal forwards for the crucial final run in of the treble charge.
All in all, pundits, opposing fans and many media houses, who predicted a dire season for United this term, in truth have been desperately waiting for United to slip up to avoid having egg on their faces come the season’s end and having to take a good slice of humble pie. They think their saving grace has arrived in the current events at Old Trafford. As it stands, however United looks set to deny them any such joy. Evidenced from the fact they are still winning comfortably with out being at their best. The mark of destiny all future champions posses.
Let the reckoning begin!
Yeah Baby Bring It On!!!
Hope the center will hold up in the absence of Scholesy for the coming three games though…
Lets be honest, chelsea had almost no serious injuries in the 2 seasons prior to this one, no one said anything then. United have been fortunate with not too many injuries agreed but so have liverpool. However the team has gone through things other teams havnt. Rooney and Ronaldo could have come back from the world cup hating each other forcing alex to sell one, the clubs main striker left without a replacement, and with only one signing all summer and rooney blowing hot and cold, things looked glim. But the squad stuck together, most of the time thumping teams but more importantly ground out those all important 1-0 losses. The team has been through a lot, and with the 2 week international break coming up, its not as bad as it seems. I think utility man O’Shea will have a big part to play filling in the gaps, but i think united have enough about them this season to go ride it out. As it goes, “keep the faith and never fear, we’ll keep the red flag flying here”.
o’shea in the middle while scholes is gone. park on the wing. giggs to play off of rooney upfront. what crisis?
like A said