Sir Alex Ferguson is bound to have done some serious head-scratching after United’s capitulation to Man City yesterday. Here are five things he will have learned in defeat.
Central midfield is a wasteland
Manchester United fans have known for a long time now that their options in central midfield are simply not up to scratch. Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs were able to disguise the problems to a certain extent in the last couple of seasons with glimpses of brilliance that occurred less the older they became, but with Scholes now retired and Giggs only being handed the occasional cameo role, the dearth of talent in that area of the field is becoming increasingly apparent.
After four years at the club, Anderson has failed miserably to deliver on his potential. Darren Fletcher – a player whose reputation seemed to be miraculously enhanced whenever he was out of the team – is half the man he was since being laid low by a succession of viruses earlier this year. Elsewhere, Michael Carrick has regressed alarmingly in the last couple of seasons and is devoid of confidence whenever he is on the pitch.
There is hope for the future in the shape of Tom Cleverley and there are great things being said about Paul Pogba, but for now, United are struggling, badly lacking a tempo-setter in the middle of the park and Fergie knows it. It is why he went all-out to land Wesley Sneijder in the summer and why he may be tempted to break out the chequebook again in January, which is rare for the United boss.
United leave themselves badly exposed at the back
Donut-scoffing David de Gea has come in for some criticism at the start of his United career, but if anything, he deserves praise for not conceding more goals than he already has, such is the number of shots that have been raining in on his goal so far in this campaign.
One of the stats doing the rounds after yesterday’s drubbing was the fact that teams facing the Red Devils so far this season have averaged a whopping 19 shots against them, so it was probably no surprise when a clinical City side took advantage where others have failed to do so. And it hasn’t been only the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and City that have contributed to this worrying trend, West Brom, Norwich and Bolton have all managed more than 15 attempts at the onion sack.
When United were in free-flowing mood earlier in the season, the ‘doesn’t matter, we’ll score more than you approach’ worked a treat, but now that the goals are drying up, Fergie may be forced to adopt a more conservative approach.
Patrice Evra is in a slow and irreversible decline
It was telling that in a game that United lost 6-1 and featured some sublime contributions from the likes of Mario Balotelli, David Silva and the unheralded James Milner, that the man of the match was rampaging right back and Balotelli-clone Micah Richards.
Granted, Ashley Young hardly offered the best defensive cover, but it will not have been missed by Alex Ferguson that City made hay down United’s left flank throughout; indeed, four of their goals originated from attacks down that side.
Patrice Evra, seen here sending Gareth Barry skyward, has been on the wane for some time now
Evra was once widely renowned as the best left back in the league but his powers have been on the wane for some time now. In fact, whenever he is mentioned these days, it is more than likely to be something that he’s said in the papers – whether it be accusing Luis Suarez of racism or offering to play Ireland on his PlayStation – rather than something he’s done on the pitch.
The likes of Aaron Lennon always used to give Evra trouble, but now everyone lining up against the Frenchman fancies their chances of coming out on top. Evra is probably too proud and arrogant to admit it, but his best days are behind him.
Against City, they simply gave up
One of the oddest things about yesterday’s defeat was that after Darren Fletcher scored United’s goal, for a very brief period it looked that United might stage a typical, albeit unlikely comeback. That was put to bed when Edin Dzeko scored City’s fourth in the 90th minute, but despite there being only three minutes of injury time, Roberto Mancini’s side still managed to hit the net on two more occasions.
The manner of both those strikes will be particularly galling for Ferguson. For the fifth goal by the magnificent David Silva and the sixth by Dzeko (from a glorious Silva pass), United had simply given up the ghost in a manner that wouldn’t be tolerated of an under-12 team, never mind the Premier League champions.
Whatever bad things there are to say about Old Red Nose (and there are plenty), he must be given credit for the fact that his teams never give up and of all the negatives emerging from the Old Trafford horrorshow, it is United’s absolute capitulation at the death yesterday that will haunt him the most.
Old Trafford may not be such a fortress anymore
Prior to yesterday, United’s record at the Theatre of Dreams was impressive to say the least. They hadn’t lost a league game there in 18 months, they claimed 19 Premier League home victories on the trot in 2011 and only dropped two points at home in all of last season.
So far this season, however, they have looked decidedly shaky on home turf. Although they lost 3-1, nobody could have complained had Chelsea claimed a draw or even a win, Spurs had more than 20 efforts on United’s goal, while Norwich had a right go at the Champions and should have come away with a point if not more.
City’s trouncing of their bitter rivals showed that United are far from impenetrable on home ground and inspired by what they saw yesterday, more and more sides will relish the prospect of taking the champions down a peg or two at Old Trafford.
Away teams going to Old Trafford used to be hindered by a fear that was as good as a one-goal lead for the hosts, but the fear factor may well be a thing of the past.
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