Aug 24
There’s More to United’s Season
This is Sailesh Ganesh from Dallas, USA. I am a new contributor to Red Rants, hoping to keep up with the great quality of the site.
With introductions out of the way, let me talk a bit about our recent results. You might be thinking that this has already been beaten to death, but suffice it to say that we have not seen a period of results like this in the recent past, and it deserves our attention. A few of these points have already been made here, so bear with me with what seems like a repetition, but I feel its worth another look at.
There is no doubt that the loss of Rooney and Ronaldo is hurting us harder than we thought. Of course, few teams can cope with such a loss. Without them, our movement in general in the final third has shown just a little bit of hesitancy. Where Ronaldo and Rooney might have tried something audacious to break the luck, the team now seems to be a bit unsure while finishing. This reminds me of the Arsenal of last year. They were in a similar position, 2 points from 3 games, but went on to string together 6 wins from that point, starting with, ironically, Manchester United. Maybe there’s a similarity there we can hope for.
The positive thing here is that despite the loss of Rooney and Ronaldo, our overall play has been very good. Our possession, build-up and dominance have not been affected one bit by their losses, and I can only imagine us getting better when they come back. If this is Manchester United in crisis, I cannot imagine us in full flow! We have dominated all games we have played, our defense has been very good (though that can partially be attributed to our relentless attacking football) and the new signings (Anderson apart, as yet anyway) have so far shown that they will add value to the club. Tevez and Hargreaves have fit in perfectly and will play pivotal roles this season. Nani still has to learn to deliver a good final ball, and to pass the ball more often. He’ll learn, given time.
But time is not something we have too much of. We need to make up lost ground fast. The form of Giggs might just be hampering us here. There is not much that is wrong with our attacking play at this point, but you can’t help feel that the presence of another player who is a real attacking threat in addition to Nani, Scholes and Tevez will make the opposition defense work that much harder to deny us, and this will most likely give us that little extra in the final third where we can create our own luck rather than hoping it would fall on our lap.
While a finisher such as Rossi would certainly be helpful, there is no point thinking wistfully. The team has to make do with what it has. The best scenario is to have all 11 players performing at their best, instead of us carrying one or two members. The faster Giggs recovers his form, the better it will be for us. Given Giggs’ current form, it might not even be a bad idea to start with Nani and Eagles as wingers for the next couple of games. Eagles, for me, has a lot of potential to make it at this club, and judging by his pre-season form, I wouldn’t think a lot before starting him. Mind you, I am not blaming Giggs for our troubles, he deserves a lot of respect for what he has done. But at the same time, a little time away from the field will perhaps help him regain his form quicker. He could even come on as an impact player towards the end of the game.
Finally, all that is needed at this point is a goal, no matter how freaky it is. A spectacular own goal will do very nicely for me, thank you. I personally don’t care too much about stuffing Spurs at this point. The team needs a win now, more than ever, before it starts affecting the confidence of players and dilutes our attacking play. A scrappy 1-0 win will do for me, just as long as we get back on the winning track.
We can start demolishing teams once we get back to winning.
I totally agree with Red Ranter here – this season is not over yet. It is only three games into the season, and we haven’t even started talking about the FA Cup and Champions League. Yes, it is going to be very difficult, but not impossible. Then again, when has Manchester United ever won the straightforward way? It has always had a way of playing with our emotions before finally winning, but that only makes the victory sweeter! How many different ways have SAF’s men kept us on tenterhooks? Nou Camp, the 5-3 win away against Spurs, after being 3-0 down at HT (2001-02), 1-0 against Liverpool and 4-2 against Everton (last season), heck, even the 3-2 against Milan at home!
Consider this another innovation in making our collective hearts fail. The team does need new challenges after all! It is okay to be pissed off and swear never to support the team again so long as you are back for more the next day. Hang on tight guys, there is a long way to go yet. Save some of this pessimism for later, for I am sure this is not the last of heart stopping moments this season.
Related items from Red Rants:
- United’s debt situation explained
- United’s £100k+ Christmas party, useless Shorey, Arsenal will stumble and of course, Rooney is better than Kaka
- Manchester United’s Munich tribute on 6 Feb 2008
- Interview with Aon – Manchester United’s future sponsors
- Who is your Manchester United’s Player Of The Month for November?
Tags: Opinions/Columns
August 24th, 2007 at 10:35
good point yankeeboy/alot of people shy baway from the giggs factor,bit its costing us alot of creativity.defenders now dont need to mark him.he will probably lose the ball on his own,or blind pass,or fall over.at this moment,we need eagles to start on the right,nani on the left.peace
August 24th, 2007 at 10:35
Couldn’t agree more with your analysis and it is good to see an American contributing to the site. Keep up the good work.
August 24th, 2007 at 10:51
First off, welcome to the site. Its good to hear a yank talking about football and not trying to take over the world…lol. Now that ive got that rant off my chest i hae to say i do agree with you. Giggs performances of late does not qualify him for an automatic starting place in this team. While playing on the wing and in the hole he has not been up to it so far. He should be dropped for Eagles as you say. I just think that the hunger that Eagles will bring to the team is just what we need. I dont see him trying any little flicks that Giggs still tries but seldom pulls off, but rather hard graft on the wing and good crosses following the hard work. Giggs is in the same bracket as Figo for me. An elder statesman that is well respected by teamates and supporters alike but who has come to the twilight of there careers and we cannot argue about skill, cos they both have skill, but the pace of the game has passed them by. Giggs does not deserve a starting berth and does not do enough as captain of the side. I cannot wait for Neville to come back cos i truly believe we have been missing a captain.
But as you say a win will do. Any goal will do. Maybe a Robertson howler will give utd the points.
August 24th, 2007 at 11:15
Giggs has been pretty awful but to be fair he is being played out of position.
Pleasantly surprised by Eagles’ showing in his last few appearances. Promising. As for the rest of it, the season is young but yes, we could do with a win.
August 24th, 2007 at 11:29
I’m not so sure that Giggs is playing out of position anymore. The evidence of the last 18 months would suggest that supporting striker/floating role is now his position rather than left wing.
August 24th, 2007 at 14:05
wont add mo bout giggs,right on point there mate!
August 24th, 2007 at 15:40
why doesn’t fergie just make a
gamble here and give eagles a start
against spurs so that we can have a
bench with saha ,giggs,anderson so that
should things continue not going our
way(getting the ball in back of the
net)then we can change our formation,
add impetus to the attack.Go united Go.
August 24th, 2007 at 17:53
Nice write up. Good to see a fellow American contribute! And I am from Dallas as well!
No need to panic yet folks, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
August 24th, 2007 at 18:01
Good write up our Yankee cousin, very impressed and enjoyed reading it.
I’m in agreement too, a scrappy 1-0 will do for now. We can start to demolish sides after we get that winning mentality back.
Black United shirt is sik as funk.
August 24th, 2007 at 18:04
Welcome aboard Sailesh.
I too am from North America (Canada) so it’s always nice to read the contribution of United supporters who live far from the confines of Old Trafford. Your article rings true onall counts. I for one half made my points with quite a bit of panic in the past few weeks. I just feel that United cannot continue to play like this for much longer or the season as far as the EPL goes is curtains. That said, a strong victory against Spurs could be just what the doctor ordered.
As for Giggsy, the man is a legend and should be knighted after he retires for his service to football and the UK. Based onthe way he has played of late, perhaps retirement is not too far off. As for him playing out of position, he did that a lot last year too but with fantastic results. No, I’m afraid Ryan has lost a step or his focus is just off. Yet, I would not bench him. I think he is a quality player with great pride and I want to believe he will play himself back in to form. Three games does not make a season when it comes to a players form. On the other hand, three games can ruin a season when you have to contend with the evil Chelski machine. They bore us to death and play dull continental football of the worst variety but they just keep churning out results. And, I believe that in one to one matches against us, they do have our number. Forget the Community Shield, that’s a meaningless friendly to most of the managers in the Prem. Mourinho has a way of bringing out the most cautious tactics out of SAF. United always end up playing into their hands tactically. That doesn’t mean a loss by no means, but what it does mean is that we let Chelsea in to the match with a chance. The FA Cup was a perfect example. They are also a very tough nut to crack at Stamford Bridge. Hopefully one day that nut will find itself under a bus.
As for our striking woes, Saha will probably sit on the bench and if he plays, it will be as if he wasn’t really there anyway. This guy is so overrated by some fans and Fergie. People talk about how Robben always dives, well Saha has been known to be injured simply by a semi-strong gust of wind passing by his frail frame. Anderson must get his shot.
4-4-2 is the answer. Our midfielders still may lack the proper service in to our strikers but the reality of having to mark two strikers instead of one may unlock the safe and cause a barrage of goals to flood in the Tottenham goal. Poor Paul Robinson. It’s just not going to be your week mate. I just hope Dimitar Berbatov doesn’t score the winning goal for Spurs and then find out he ’s been sold to United. Then he and Tevez will both hold that very disturbing distinction of having sunk United before they joined them. That would really be sick.
August 24th, 2007 at 18:54
Thanks for the comments guys, appreciate them. A clarification is in order here: I am only based in America, I am not an American. I’m originally from Bombay, India. It is funny, though, to be called yankeeboy! Evan, perhaps we could grab a beer sometime, watching the team play!
I am not sure Giggsy is being played out of position. He is no longer the player who can zip past defenders, so he has had to modify his game to introduce a bit of what Scholes does. The point is that Giggs is still an important part of the team, and we need him in form for all of our big games. Equally, I dont think Giggs will be able to play every game of the season. He will be benched for some games this season, and I am suggesting that one of those games be the Spurs one this weekend.
August 24th, 2007 at 19:46
im a chelski fan and just watch how
tottenham rips apart man united.. and your
yankee owner Macolm Glazer will be crying
and all worried how hes gonna pay off his debt.
surprising to see u texan here on redrants.
im from Chicago.
August 24th, 2007 at 21:14
good article. i have a theory regarding giggsy’s form of late as well as proof that he has a lost that extra something. Towards the end of last year we saw that giggs wasn’t playing very well. Then, he missed a GOLDEN opportunity to win the FA cup for us. You all must remember that one, right? I have seen that miss over and over again, and can’t understand how he failed to get a proper touch. It was right there for him!!!! I say that has affected his form until now. Some of you may think i’m crazy, but that’s my 2 cents. GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED!!!
P.S: I read earlier that Anderson will start with Tevez up front. u think that’s gonna happen? if yes, it will be very interesting to watch
August 24th, 2007 at 21:50
Well written mate. And yes, to the others, I live in the US too (for those who haven’t noticed – I did mention it in passing a while back) although I am not American.
I do think a lot of people over here in America follow football (soccer) religiously. It is a mis-conception from the other side of the world that dismisses America as being too self-involved in its ‘own’ sports. Yes there is an element of truth to it, but things are a changing.
August 24th, 2007 at 21:51
Greetings my fellow American. Thanks for the article. Eagles is good, but we’ve really only seen him excel in pre-season games against weaker opposition. His inclusion in the Man City game was pretty much superfluous (and like Nani, generally plagued with youthful moments of hesitation and indecision). Eagles needs to be coming off the bench most games this year, but he’s not ready to take over for Giggs. I think that Fergie is probably going to do what he always does this week. The lineup is going to look pretty much the same as it did against City. The only change might have Fletcher starting. If Giggs comes off for anybody, it should be him.
August 25th, 2007 at 2:13
I think 6 or 7 years ago, Eagles would have played more regularly by now. What happened to the old addage “If you’re good enough, you’re old enough”? Eagles is a quality player and deserves his chance. Admittedly he isn’t yet at a level to command a starting place in a full strength XI, but im quite sure he’s good enough to step in and do a decent job, after all, whats the point of a healthy sized squad if you’re not prepared to use them? He’s been scoring for fun pre season, yes against weak opposition but the lad clearly knows where the goal is, he’s quick, good feet and above all else he’s hungry enough. Something i’m not sure Giggs is anymore. Or at least he is less capable of being hungry enough. Giggs could be Sir Giggs for me, great servent for United, but this season Fergie can either win the title, Giggsy’s tenth, or he can get Giggsy to surpass Charlton’s appearance record. I don’t think we can have them both. On the evidence so far.
August 25th, 2007 at 2:51
Sonam
Stick to logging your rants on some useless Chelski blog that if it was paper wouldn’t be suitable to wipe ones behind with. Chelski fans like you are nothing more than bandwagon jumpers who hitched a once in a lifetime ride with Filthy Rich Roman’s short term chariot. When United is winning EPL championships five and ten years from now, will you be asking why bottom of the league Chelsea dropped off the face of the earth once Abramovich got bored with his toy and sold it. And mark my word, the day is coming. The Chelsea tax shelter will eventually lose it’s usefulness to that rich bitch. So enjoy your little dance on the roof while money bags still feels the hunger. And for supporters of other teams, I’m sure I can speak for Red Ranter when I say that you are more than welcome to contribute providing your posts are intelligent, witty and above all, have a point of logic. Unlike the Neanderthal I am responding to. To Red Ranter, sorry for losing it mate, but garbage like that shouldn’t be allowed on. It’s totally juvenile and irritating. A poor excuse for common sense and intelligence from America. If he wasn’t from Chicago I would have thought him a Millwall Firm hooligan from “Green Street Hooligans” the movie. Scarry and stupid.
August 25th, 2007 at 4:33
[Grognard]
His comment ate itself up!
I allowed that particular cretin’s comment to appear because I found it funny. He called himself a ‘Chelski’ fan! Oh the irony
August 25th, 2007 at 4:39
I guess some of them are applying for Russian citizenship if they call themselves Chelski fans with pride. To be honest I never noticed the Chelski reference because I’ve become so conditioned to calling them that myself. But now that you mention it, YES it is ironic and speaks volumes over what I referred to as a lack of intelligence on his part.
August 26th, 2007 at 8:59
sign samir nasri! the next zidane!
August 26th, 2007 at 12:24
We don’t need the next Zidane when we already have the next Ronaldinho