Tweet
By Stewart Robson
Last Updated: 2:16am GMT 27/01/2008
I think everybody would agree, including Sir Alex Ferguson, that when all the players in his squad are available, there are seven names which he would immediately pen on to the team sheet. Edwin van der Sar, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra have all performed brilliantly, while up front Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez are the most exciting combination of attackers in the Premier League.
Yet it is in midfield, where Sir Alex has four players who offer different attributes, that he will not be so certain of his best partnership.
Of the four, Paul Scholes, who looks set to be passed fit this weekend after three months out with a knee injury, is the most effective and talented player. His superb technique and excellent timing of runs enables him to score goals, while he possesses wonderful vision to create opportunities for others with his passing. Although not the best tackler, he does have the energy to recover into defensive positions quickly. Owen Hargreaves has the athleticism to cover ground quickly, which denies the opposition space to counter attack.
Although technically competent, he doesn't possess the same attacking threat as Scholes and therefore his destructive influence is greater than his creativity. By his own admission he has struggled to cope with the greater intensity of the Premier League compared to the Bundesliga in Germany, but he is now fully fit and keen to prove Sir Alex was right to buy him.
Anderson, although initially bought as a striker, has played a lot of games in central midfield this year. He has trickery on the ball, a good passing range and showed in his battle with Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas earlier in the season that he has the appetite for a fight should situations dictate. However, he still lacks the consistency and game understanding to make him a permanent fixture in the team.
Michael Carrick is the player who divides opinion on his capabilities and effectiveness to United, despite him having a superb passing range with both feet. He hits defence-splitting passes, switches the point of attacks and brings continuity to United's passing movements. However, to take himself to the next level, he needs to put himself under greater pressure by receiving the ball in tighter situations. Too often he drops into the back four, which, although giving him time on the ball, doesn't allow him to hurt the opposition. To become a great player he needs to influence games in more attacking areas, as he did when getting on the end of a couple of crosses against Reading last week. He must also score more goals and improve his ability to shield the ball when placed under fierce pressure.
But whenever his game is analysed, two questions keep resurfacing. Does he possess enough mobility to defend well when playing in the holding midfield role? Is he dynamic enough to influence the attacking capabilities of the team and score goals at the same rate as Scholes? My answer to both those questions is no, so what role should he have in the team?
The role that suits him most is in a three-man central midfield where he has two players with more forward drive playing either side of him. He then acts as the 'quarterback' who dictates the game with his passing, both long and short, without dropping right into the back four.
Unfortunately for him, United rarely play that formation and when he was given that role for England against Paraguay at the World Cup, he failed to make an impact, which ultimately resulted in Hargreaves replacing him. For Carrick to catch the eye of Fabio Capello and ensure Ferguson keeps faith with him he will need to emulate the effectiveness of one of two great players.
He must either score and create goals like Glenn Hoddle used to, or dictate midfield proceedings with his link-up play in much the same way that Andrea Pirlo does for AC Milan and Italy. Unless he can do that, he may never fully reach the levels his technical skills deserve.
His first thoughts today, though, will be to outplay the rediscovered potential of Jermaine Jenas, whose athleticism has propelled him from average player to excellent one over the last few weeks.
Last Updated: 2:16am GMT 27/01/2008
I think everybody would agree, including Sir Alex Ferguson, that when all the players in his squad are available, there are seven names which he would immediately pen on to the team sheet. Edwin van der Sar, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra have all performed brilliantly, while up front Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez are the most exciting combination of attackers in the Premier League.
Yet it is in midfield, where Sir Alex has four players who offer different attributes, that he will not be so certain of his best partnership.
Of the four, Paul Scholes, who looks set to be passed fit this weekend after three months out with a knee injury, is the most effective and talented player. His superb technique and excellent timing of runs enables him to score goals, while he possesses wonderful vision to create opportunities for others with his passing. Although not the best tackler, he does have the energy to recover into defensive positions quickly. Owen Hargreaves has the athleticism to cover ground quickly, which denies the opposition space to counter attack.
Although technically competent, he doesn't possess the same attacking threat as Scholes and therefore his destructive influence is greater than his creativity. By his own admission he has struggled to cope with the greater intensity of the Premier League compared to the Bundesliga in Germany, but he is now fully fit and keen to prove Sir Alex was right to buy him.
Anderson, although initially bought as a striker, has played a lot of games in central midfield this year. He has trickery on the ball, a good passing range and showed in his battle with Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas earlier in the season that he has the appetite for a fight should situations dictate. However, he still lacks the consistency and game understanding to make him a permanent fixture in the team.
Michael Carrick is the player who divides opinion on his capabilities and effectiveness to United, despite him having a superb passing range with both feet. He hits defence-splitting passes, switches the point of attacks and brings continuity to United's passing movements. However, to take himself to the next level, he needs to put himself under greater pressure by receiving the ball in tighter situations. Too often he drops into the back four, which, although giving him time on the ball, doesn't allow him to hurt the opposition. To become a great player he needs to influence games in more attacking areas, as he did when getting on the end of a couple of crosses against Reading last week. He must also score more goals and improve his ability to shield the ball when placed under fierce pressure.
But whenever his game is analysed, two questions keep resurfacing. Does he possess enough mobility to defend well when playing in the holding midfield role? Is he dynamic enough to influence the attacking capabilities of the team and score goals at the same rate as Scholes? My answer to both those questions is no, so what role should he have in the team?
The role that suits him most is in a three-man central midfield where he has two players with more forward drive playing either side of him. He then acts as the 'quarterback' who dictates the game with his passing, both long and short, without dropping right into the back four.
Unfortunately for him, United rarely play that formation and when he was given that role for England against Paraguay at the World Cup, he failed to make an impact, which ultimately resulted in Hargreaves replacing him. For Carrick to catch the eye of Fabio Capello and ensure Ferguson keeps faith with him he will need to emulate the effectiveness of one of two great players.
He must either score and create goals like Glenn Hoddle used to, or dictate midfield proceedings with his link-up play in much the same way that Andrea Pirlo does for AC Milan and Italy. Unless he can do that, he may never fully reach the levels his technical skills deserve.
His first thoughts today, though, will be to outplay the rediscovered potential of Jermaine Jenas, whose athleticism has propelled him from average player to excellent one over the last few weeks.
.... I expect to see Westman the sniper respond also. Take a look at the last 6 EPL games of the top 6 teams, very very competitive, swings and counter swings will happen I suppose
, mek mi stop
Comment