The horrific injury of Antonio Valencia was compounded by short-term injuries to veteran Ryan Giggs and superstar Wayne Rooney, who are expected to miss at least the next fortnight of football. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson must weigh-up suitable replacements.
Despite Rooney’s current injury, fans have been more concerned about his usual flamboyance and confidence in front of goal. After an off-season sex-scandal, Rooney has only managed one goal and appears to be suffering all over the pitch.
The Croxteth born striker is failing to link up play cogently and effectively at the final-third of the pitch and also seems unwilling or hesitant to take a shot from any sort of distance.
Ironically, after two seasons of failing to live up to his exorbitant price-tag, Dimitar Berbatov has become the goal-scoring machine that Rooney was last season.
Berbatov is flourishing under Ferguson’s switch back to the attacking 4-4-2 formation and has 7 goals from 7 appearances this season. Berbatov’s great form has prevented a goal-drought at United and may well be the cure to Rooney’s lack of form. A few weeks out could allow Rooney to sort out his well publicized private life and also give him time to regain some mental confidence.
The major issue, however, does not rest with Rooney’s injury, but with United’s two injured wingers.
United face the tough task of traveling to Valencia on Wednesday where they are currently sitting at the top of the Spanish La Liga and were devastating in their opening Champions League game, disposing or Bursaspor 4-0. Sir Alex Ferguson will most likely establish a 4-5-1 formation where Berbatov will play the loan striking role and Nani and Ji-Sung Park will cover the respective wide positions (Nani right-wing, Park left-wing).
With legend Ryan Giggs soon to ‘call the curtain’ on an illustrious career and after a career-threatening injury that could keep right-winger Antonio Valencia out for the season, United’s wings in particular have come under serious scrutiny.
Many believe that Park is not a long-term solution on the left-hand side and and that an injury to Nani would leave the manager with no capable player with the ability to replace him. Subsequently many United fans are crossing their fingers and hoping for a January Transfer Window raid.
But this may be the time that United’s talented youth show their mettle and demonstrate to not only the manager, but the fans, that they are more than willing to fill any gaps that are apparent in the squad.
The injury of Giggs will almost certainly mean that Park will operate on the left-hand side against Valencia and over the next fortnight of matches, but Ferguson will be weary that he has some young players at his disposal who deserve to be given chances. Frenchman Gabriel Obertan has improved immensely since his arrival at the club last year and has shown the sort of pace and dribbling ability of a world-beater.
He is a regular performer in the reserves and has already torn-up world-class opposition in the first-team (think back to that dribble against Wolfsburg when he skinned two defenders and set Michael Owen up!) Although Obertan is likely to be offered a bench-role, a solid performance off the bench could see him cement a permanent place in the side.
Obertan’s versatility could also be a massive asset to United, as the Frenchman has the ability to play both through the middle and on either flank. Ferguson may also choose to take a gamble on new arrival Bebe’.
Bebe, like Obertan, is extremely versatile and can play as a target-man and on either flank.
The issue with Bebe’ is his lack of experience, having only played for the reserves and first team once respectively. However, his natural ability cannot be denied by even the biggest of skeptics.
Bebe has the burst of pace, power, dribbling ability and skill of former United player Cristiano Ronaldo and if he can even offer a sample of what Ronaldo offered, he could make a massive impact in United’s affairs.
How these two young players perform as well as Park and Nani, and may well demonstrate the depth on United’s wings and whether or not Ferguson needs to invest in the next transfer window.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Manchester United have survived one of the most astonishing FA Cup semi-final comebacks to beat second-tier Coventry City 4-2 on penalties after a chaotic…
Erik ten Hag hopes Manchester United's nail-biting last-eight win over arch-rivals Liverpool in the FA Cup can prove the turning point in a challenging…
Phil Foden has led Manchester City's fightback - even despite an astonishing miss by Erling Haaland - as the champions beat Manchester United 3-1…
Arsenal remain just two points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool after trouncing Newcastle 4-1 to continue their rich vein of form. Rebounding quickly from…
Watching Manchester United trip, stumble and struggle in English Premier League football is compellingly appealing, satisfying and almost comical for those of us who…
It was a move retro by comparison to much of the Premier League, and indeed modern football: a natural right-footed winger stationed on the…
