When Sir Alex Ferguson was prodded after conceding the Premier League title to their city rivals in the final minute of last season, he sharply replied “Yesterday, I said those Sunderland fans who were cheering for City, remember the day. We won’t forget that.” He didn’t forget when the Liverpool fans waved a board reading ‘Come back when you have 18’, and he most certainly won’t this either.
Weeks on since that day, and Sir Alex Ferguson is ringing changes at the club with 19 domestic titles. Ji Sung Park, among the most faithful servants of the club in recent years, has left to join Mark Hughes’ QPR. Despite failing to do his former boss a favour, and avenging his own rather shameful exit from the Eastlands, Ferguson has been rather kind towards Sparky. Following Park to Loftus Road was one half of the Da Silva twins, Fabio. But if the clubs to which the United boss does prefer to loan his young guns out to becomes a case in study, it is clearly evident that former Devils’ own have an edge over the rest.
However, the case in study presently is how United are going to shape up for the next season, and if that is good enough to win them back the Premier League. The move to sign Shinji Kagawa seemed pretty logical given the lack of creative presence in our midfield. The Japanese international boasts of an enviable record for the reigning Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund, having made 25 goal contributions in 36 appearances. Compare that piece of statistics to the current crop of United players, and only Wayne Rooney produced a better contributions/match ratio.
But Kagawa Shinji alone, as Rio put it on twitter, would not solve our midfield crisis. A Rooney in the hole would provide better defensive support to our central midfield duo than Kagawa. So while the hottest property of Asian football brings a lot of inventive insight into the game, it fails to bring solidity to a midfield which has been over run by opponents frequently last term. But this theory could be argued on the basis of Tom Cleverley’s prolonged absence last season, and the fact that Darren Fletcher has already become a zombie in fans’ minds.
Nick Powell, the newest emerging talent in English lands promises to be one for the future. To think this Crewe starlet would break into the first team with the likes of Danny Welbeck and Chicharito fully fit is nothing short of over burdening the kid with far-fetched expectations. And with Kagawa’s arrival coinciding with his, its highly likely that the most talked about strike partnership in England (read Rooney and Welbeck) would cease to exist. With just a single striker seemingly the future at United, Powell would find himself pushed further down the pecking order. Kagawa does play on the left for his country, with Keisuke Honda occupying the central role regularly. But the wily old Scotsman has already gone public with how he plans to utilize Shinji i.e. right behind the striker.
The impending move for Everton left-back Leighton Baines seems to have hit the docks after the gaffer found new admiration and hope in youth product Robbie Brady. While Fabio’s loan move to QPR is with a definite view of fetching him more game time, Brady’s supposed promotion to first team ahead of the curly haired Brazilian defender comes as a surprise. Why wasn’t Fabio retained while young Robbie sent out for a loan stint?
Unlike most who have been going bonkers over the signings United have made already, I would show a little restraint in my reactions. I am excited with the signings as I honestly believe they will most definitely add quality to this side. But there remain plenty of grey areas that haven’t yet been attended to, areas which could prove to be decisive once again in the title race next year. It would be a fallacy to think Cleverley’s return to fitness would put an end to United’s midfield misery. United are still a couple of signings short, if you ask me. They need a proven central midfielder who could slot in seamlessly alongside Carrick, and be equally adept in going forward and helping his defenders. In spite of Baines not particularly fitting into United’s transfer policies, it would be a big gamble counting on Patrice Evra to come good after a couple of disappointing seasons. And an even bigger one, if Brady is being looked upto as the deputy to the declining Frencham next season. If you’re a Mancunian, you should be comforting yourself knowing Fergie has hinted at a couple of more arrivals. But then again, knowing Fergie, you would not!
