A Common Fan’s Sports Diary

In happier times for the United midfield

Enough has been written about the forward line. We are just going to concentrate on the mid-field.

We are not considering the out and out wing players for this post and that leaves out Nani and Valencia.

Owen Hargreaves – Had been pursued relentlessly by Ferguson to fill the void left by Roy Keane’s departure – a weakness cruelly exposed by Gennaro Gattuso and AC Milan in the Champions League Semis in 2007. Repaid the faith and part of the massive transfer fee with a fine 2008-09 season and then went missing. It’s surprising that the absence of Ronaldo and Tevez was brought up all the time but no one seemed to be missing Hargreaves. His presence could be a huge boost for 2010-11 especially against the bigger clubs.

Anderson – He was the reason why many united fans weren’t overly worried about missing Hargreaves (at the start of the season). The Brazilian had made a fine impression and had often relegated Hargreaves to the substitute’s bench. With the former Bayern midfielder out, Anderson was expected to start most of the games. But in the season his manager needed him the most, the Brazilian simply went missing; not even offering a semblance of competition for the starting role.

Fletcher has been United's only reliable ball winner in midfield

Darren Fletcher the destroyer – With Hargreaves out and Anderson struggling with form, Darren Fletcher’s continued excellence from last season came to Fergie’s rescue. As United’s sole ball-winning midfielder, he was always a guaranteed selection in the playing eleven. He had another fine season and made crucial contributions in many key games but didn’t take the next big step in his development. He still isn’t in the same league as Owen Hargreaves, especially when it comes to big European nights.

Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes – Even on their last legs, they had a lot to offer. Scored important goals and did more than enough to justify another contract extension. But they had stretches of poor form and cannot be counted on to play for 90 minutes. More like ‘Impact making players off the bench’ to borrow a term from the NBA.

Michael Carrick – Regressed beyond imagination. So much so that he is a contender for the worst United player of the season. Devoid of his usual creativity and cultured passing, he was also guilty of giving up possession in dangerous positions. His nadir was the Champions League semi-final against Bayern. Is surprising that Berbatov’s form and possible departure from Old Trafford is constantly being discussed but nobody is speculating Carrick’s future.

Darren Fletcher the attacking force – Once again Darren Fletcher came to the rescue. Other than the duo of Giggs and Scholes, Fletcher was United’s only other goal scoring threat from midfield. Over the course of the season, he was United’s most consistent and effective attacking midfielder as well. And he managed to do so without significantly developing his attacking prowess. Quite simply, he was the only midfielder who was always available and always playing at an effective level.

Gibson can shoot but what else can he do?

Darren Gibson – Had a decent season with some fine long range strikes but showed nothing else. Didn’t raise any hope that he could be a regular in the United midfield of the future. Well, he could be if the likes of Anderson and Carrick continue to play at the same level. Otherwise, he could become the midfield version of Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer – sent on to nick a goal in the end.

This was a difficult season where the United midfield got little or no contribution from three vital members of their squad – Hargreaves, Anderson and Carrick. As a result, the midfield was significantly lacking in both flair and steel. And thanks to that a very average player like Darren Fletcher was their outstanding midfielder of the year – offensively as well as defensively. He didn’t have an exceptional year; barely improving from the standards he set last year.

The only other competitors for the best midfielder mantle were Giggs and Scholes and as a result the Irishman was a runaway winner – clearly indicative of how bad United’s midfield was last year – no offense meant but the tirelessly hardworking Fletcher is at best a homeless man’s Roy Keane.

United were fortunate that their wing players including the excellent Patrick Evra did well to shoulder a lot of the offensive load.

So, what is the outlook for next year? Does Fergie need any reinforcements?

The positive outlook is that Hargreaves will return and Anderson and Carrick have already hit their lowest ebbs; meaning they can only do better next year. Such a scenario will once again give a very healthy and flexible look to United’s midfield. Will give Ferguson the leeway to sparingly use the likes of Giggs and Scholes and thereby extend their United careers further. In such a situation, the transfer kitty can be spent on strikers and a goalkeeper.

But there is also the possibility that Hargreaves will never fully recover and therefore never be the player he once was and Carrick and Anderson will also struggle to recapture their best form. This will lead to a multitude of problems – United will lose ground in the title race (don’t expect Chelsea to keep faltering like last year); Fergie will be forced to make a distress purchase in the January transfer window (fewer players available, inflated prices and possibly the player will just be a short term fix) and the market value of Anderson and Carrick will nosedive after another poor season.

Fergie like always will trust Carrick and Anderson to bounce back. But a signing or two will be a good contingency measure. And sooner or later replacements have to be found for Scholes and Giggs. Signing them now will give the players time to ease into the United system. A signing could have been avoided but none of the talented youngsters looks to be closing in on a first team breakthrough.

I rarely disagree with Fergie’s decisions. But I will be hugely disappointed if there are no additions to the United midfield. I cannot bear the thought of another season with Darren Fletcher as our best midfielder!!!

A player like Wesley Sneijder could really improve the United squad

Dale Johnson of ESPN Soccernet reckoned that Man United need the trio of Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema and Antonio Valencia to compensate for the creativity and goal-scoring that was earlier single-handedly provided by Cristiano Ronaldo. The 80 million pounds that United got from the Ronaldo sale wouldn’t have been enough to get all three, though. And, now with Benzema gone to Real and Bayern refusing to budge on Ribery, Johnson’s hypothesis is irrelevant.

So what should Man United do?

Man United should not lose sight of their other squad requirements in trying to find a suitable replacement for the Portuguese. There will definitely be a downgrade at his position – something which will adversely affect the over-all composition of the side and its performance on the pitch. After all we are talking of the most expensive player in the world here. But his loss can be compensated handsomely by upgrading a number of other positions which need attention. United need to upgrade at the right-back position where Rafael da Silva is promising but not fully equipped for the big games; atleast not yet. They also need to find suitable replacements for Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, who made huge contributions last season but might not able to deliver at the same level for too long.

Man United are quite capable of attracting top talent having both the money and the pedigree to do so. Real Madrid are mostly done with their signings and save for Man City, which few players want to join, nobody has the cash to dole out.

There is a fire sale happening at Real Madrid with a truckload of Dutch internationals being made available by the club which happens to have 10 squad players too many.

Amongst the lot, Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Klas Jan Huntelaar make a lot of sense for United. Sneijder is the goal scoring, powerful driving midfielder that Paul Scholes was and Michael Carrick will never be. Robben is injury prone but has proven to be devastatingly effective in the premiership with Chelsea. Huntelaar has been coveted by United previously and will be a long term solution.

And then there are others. Brazilian Maicon is a world class right-back whose overlapping forays will seamlessly blend into the United attack. He is looking out but doesn’t seem to have a lot of suitors.

Even if United fail to get these players, there are others who Fergie can go after and who will still be a substantial improvement over the current lot.

The argument is simple.

The downgrade at one key position is inevitable but if that happens in tandem with improvements in other areas of the pitch, than it should ensure that the sum of United’s squad will continue to be as whole as before.

United's contingent of life time employees

One club men – football players who spend their entire professional careers with one club are an extremely rare breed.

There are a number of reasons which cause players to change clubs. A lot of younger players start out at small clubs and move to bigger clubs which are more befitting of their talent. Similarly, many older players move to lesser clubs to prolong their careers as their physical prowess starts to ebb away. Players have ambitions to play in different leagues and at different clubs, often leading to movement. Sometimes a player just doesn’t get along with the manager or doesn’t fit well in the playing system.

The Bosman ruling of 1995 opened the flood gates to free movement of players. Clubs could no longer hold onto players against their will. They were literally free to go wherever and whenever they wanted. This led to a quantum jump in player activity. And therefore, a one club man became an even rarer species in the post-Bosman era.

For a player to spend his entire career at one club, a number of things must fall in place. He must start out at a club which is just right for his level of talent. His development must be commensurate with the expectations of his club and not more or less than that. As his physical powers wane, he must add new dimensions to his game to be able to hold his own at the club. He must continue to be in the good books of successive managers and always be part of the clubs long term and short term plans. And finally, the club should have enough success to match his personal ambitions.

If even of these things don’t happen, then a move is inevitable.

It happened when Arsenal legend Thierry Henry and Liverpool great Michael Owen moved to greener pastures because their clubs weren’t successful enough. It happened when one of Fergie’s fledglings – David Beckham fell out with his manager. It happened when life-long Barcelona supporter and loyalist, Pep Guardiola’s powers diminished and he wasn’t good enough for the Catalans. It happened when Leeds United were relegated and club legend Alan Smith had to mov

There are a lucky few who have managed to beat the odds and spend their entire playing careers at a single club. Today we will celebrate them by picking an all-star eleven made up entirely of such players. This list will be limited to players who played the game after the Bosman ruling; atleast the majority of their career happened after 1995. It will be a traditional 4-4-2 formation.

Here we go. A few of these players are still playing and might not be members of this exclusive club by the time they are done with their playing days. We are only considering their careers in the senior team for this exercise.

A lifetime at Real Madrid

Goalkeeper

Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) – Saint Iker is easily one of the best goalies of his generation. Destined for greatness at the most successful club in the world, he first made the playing eleven at 17. Has a buy-out clause of 128 million pounds and reportedly turned down an offer of 11 million pounds per season from Man City. Has won 2 Champions League and 4 Primera Liga titles with Real. He could have had serious competition from Gianluigi Buffon but the Italian was lured by a 52 million euro transfer fee- the biggest ever for a goalkeeper.

Defence

Paulo Maldini (AC Milan) – One of the all time great left backs has been part of the Milan family forever. His father Cesare also excelled at Milan and Paulo’s son Christian is already part of the club’s youth side. Debuted at 16 and is going strong at 40 – don’t think anyone has spent 24 years as a player at any club in the world. His haul of 5 Champions League and 7 Serie A titles is also unmatched. Will surely continue his association with Milan long after his playing days are over. He is surely the mascot of this ‘one club’ fraternity.

Jamie Carragher (Liverpool) – A Merseysider, he rose through the Liverpool youth ranks with Michael Owen. But while Owen was making the headlines at senior level and getting frustrated at Liverpool’s lack of success, Carragher was finding life difficult as an unsettled utility man. He finally established himself in defence and played a stellar role as Liverpool re-established themselves as European heavyweights. With his best form coinciding with club success, he was never a dissatisfied want-away like Owen. Winner of one Champions League title.

Carlos Puyol (Barcelona) – Barca is the pride of Catalonia and playing for the club is the highest honour for a Catalan. The challenge lies in being good enough to play for them regularly. Carlos Puyol has risen to the challenge with aplomb. He was part of a superbly talented group of young Spanish players at the club, but while most of the others fell by the wayside, he has continued to flourish as the leader at the back; at a club where chronic defensive problems result in a regular churn of defenders. Winner of 1 Champions League and 2 Primera Liga titles.

Gary Neville (Man United) – Joined United after leaving school and debuted in the senior side at 17. Part of the celebrated youth movement under Alex Ferguson. Much admired and respected at Old Trafford for his leadership and fighting spirit; qualities which have become increasingly relevant as his plying skills have diminished. That and a willingness to accept a reduced role, rather than trying for regular first team football elsewhere, have meant that he will wind up his playing career with United. Winner of 7 Premier League and 2 Champions League titles.

Midfield

Ryan Giggs (Man United) – United’s most capped player has been with them for 22 years now and looks good for many more. This has come thanks to his amazing transformation from a dashing left winger to a mature playmaker. While his past was all speed and breathtaking skill, his present is all guile and intelligence. Thanks to that he has continued to be a valuable squad player. Sir Alex is keen on holding on to him and uses him quite judiciously. A member of Fergie’s fledglings, he has been part of everything that United have won under the Scot – 10 Premier league titles, 3 FA Cups and 2 Champions League titles.

Paul Scholes (Man United) –Grew up as a supporter of Oldham Athletic but has been at United throughout his youth and senior career. His is another story of a player changing and flourishing in new roles as his career progressed. Once a striker, he has made a name for himself as a driving force in United’s midfield. Continues to be a vital member of United’s squad, especially on European nights when Fergie can still count on his big game temperament. He is another player whose career will be extended thanks to Fergie’s intelligent use of him. Winner of 8 Premier League and 2 Champions League titles.

Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona) – Another fiercely proud Catalan who joined the club’s youth side in 1991 at age 11 and is already contracted to play for them till 2014. His rise as the home-grown lynchpin of Barca’s midfield is especially creditable considering the club has largely relied on foreign talent in the attacking department. Largely under-rated thanks to the presence of a galaxy of stars at the Nou Camp, he announced himself to the world at Euro 2008 where he was voted best player. Barca have always known his worth and have tied him down for good with a massive contract. Winner of 4 Primera Liga and 1 Champions League title.

Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) – He almost followed Michael Owen out of Liverpool after a frustrating Trophy less season in 2003-04. But luckily for him, for new manager Rafa Benitez and for Liverpool Football Club, he decided to stay. Istanbul happened in 2005 and in his own words; Steven Gerrard couldn’t leave the club after a night like that. The player has since become a legend at the Kop and few players can dream of achieving the status he enjoys at the club. A long overdue league title is also within touching distance and once Liverpool win that, Steven Gerrard can have the key to the entire red half of Merseyside. Winner of 1 Champions League title.

Forwards

Raul Gonzalez (Real Madrid) – A cult hero at the club, who can continue to play for Real Madrid for as long as he desires. Holds almost all the goal scoring records for the club and continues to be their leading striker at age 31 with 24 goals in the 2008-09 campaign. Has been their golden boy from the time he became their youngest debutant at age 17. The ironic part is that he started his youth career at bitter rivals Atletico and had to move to Real because the youth system was closed down by President Jesus Gil. If not for Mr Gil’s short-sightedness, Raul Gonzalez would have made this list as an Atletico player. Winner of 6 Primera Liga and 3 Champions League titles.

Francesco Totti (Roma) – A symbol of the club who was probably born to play for Roma. He was born in Rome and he and his family have been lifelong Roma supporters. His mother refused a lucrative contract from AC Milan when he was a teenager and Totti first played for the Roma senior side at 16 and became captain at 20. His trophy collection is the most meagre of all the players on this list and he could have easily moved to bigger clubs to win more titles but the option of leaving Roma is one that Totti has never considered. Will probably end up as the greatest Roma player of all time. Winner of 1 Serie A title.

We will be back shortly with a team of polar opposites – players who can’t seem to stay at one place for too long.