The Manchester United midfield area for us is a vital area, just like any other team, goals are usually started from here, goals conceded can be tracked back from this area, arguably midfield is the most important position on the field of play. Its no secret that uniteds midfield at present isn’t the best we’ve ever had although its far from the worst as has been made out to be,take a quick look of the days of Alan smith, djemba djemba and Liam miller if you don’t agree.

Watching the treble season DVD the other night was a joy, Roy keane and Paul Scholes both on top of their game, commanding matches and complementing each other to perfection, what id give for them to be in our current crop right now on form, can you imagine that?

As the transfer window draws ever closer to shutting the realisation that the center of our midfield wont have any additions is a frightening one but perfectly realistic.

The constant links to sneijder, Nasri and modric have been ongoing all summer with none of them looking like they will come to any fruition, any 3 of them players would obviously improve our midfield.

At this moment in time we don’t have a proven “creative” midfielder in our ranks, yes we have the young players like pogba & Morrison but sticking them in now would be unfair on them and possibly detrimental to their long term development.

The signing on Ashley young was herald as a creative midfielder but if pre-season games are anything to go by he will be played in his most natural and favoured position on the wing.

Then there is Anderson, dubbed the new ronaldinho when he joined the club he has hardly set the world alight since his arrival, injury problems and a poor attitude hasn’t seen him develop in the way we had all hoped. During October and November last year Anderson was given a consecutive
run of back to back games and played really well and showed some glimpses of his potential, however for all that id be worried if we went into the new
season depending on him. One sunny day does not make a summer!

Replacing Scholes will be an impossible task, just like it was with Cantona, keane etc before him but there are players out there that are capable of doing the job or should we do what Sir Alex said and actually look closer to home?

There is one player that can fill that void and that’s Wayne Rooney, he’s arguably the closest thing to Paul Scholes, a goodpasser of the ball who doesn’t relay on pace, has a rasping shot, the knack of arriving inthe area at the right time and most importantly a goal outlet from midfield.

If the rumours about our interest in roma striker vucinic are true then I can see Rooney being used as our much needed creative midfielder, my only worry is that we would be losing out on some of his goals that he’s shown he’s more than capable of scoring when upfront, plus his enticing partnership with chicharito would have to change.
 

In my opinion more importantly than signing a creative midfielder is the need for a general in the center of the park, someone who can go box to box, gets in players faces and isn’t scared to dish out rollickings when needed.

You only have to take a look at the beatings we’ve had off Barcelona to see what the midfield is missing, it’s the same in the premiership too at times when our midfield gets over run by the bigger teams because we haven’t got that tough tackling center midfielder.

Its easy to look back now and say “well we won the league and got to the European cup final so we cant be that bad?” and yes I cant argue with that point but last season we were fortunate that other teams around us were poor, you only have to take a look at our away form to see that any other
season we probably wouldn’t have won the league. Next season teams will have improved and as always will try their hardest to beat us.

I find it quite hard to believe that Ferguson hasn’t addressed these problems that are obvious for all to see, problems that should have been sorted back in 2009, of course far from me to tell the great man what to do or 2nd guess him but as a supporter its hard to not get frustrated when you see a clear problem and nothings being done to sort it.

I’m quite cynical at times when it comes to transfer stories at the club and I am beginning to wonder if we are even in for anymore players, Ferguson ruled it out last week saying he’s happy with what we’ve got yet David gill on Tuesday said they are looking at “1 more player” leaving all united fans playing the guessing game wondering if he’s hinting at the arrival of Wesley sneijder? As has been mentioned to me countless times on twitter and something I've even said myself to me I think its maybe a ploy from the suits
at old Trafford to drum up interest and false hope in order to try and flog the unsold season tickets (there is no waiting list!)

Another question is do we have the money? Selling wes brown and john o shea, 2 very useful squad players that seemed happy enough in their role, moved on and in doing so decreasing the wage bill or at least even it out with the purchases of our 3 players so far this summer. All evidence pointing to the fact that we need to sell before we buy.

In conclusion to this I'm like the rest of you, I really have no idea if we are going to sign anyone and if we do are they going to be of the desired quality? If we go into the new season with the squad we have now I imagine we will be challenging for the title but I wouldn’t put my life on us winning it, the real worry is the Champions League, a competition that we have fallen short in the past few years and will probably continue to do so without the 2 missing players. Is that good enough for a club like
united?

When Owen signed for united 2 years ago on a free transfer many eye brows were raised in almost disbelief that we had signed what
had seemed to be an injury prone player whose best days were very much behind him.

Another problem many had with him was his past having connections with our biggest domestic rivals Liverpool, and the fact he was
seen to be a signing to replace the out going Carlos Tevez.
I was delighted with the signing of Owen, a free transfer for a player that I believed would be a terrific impact sub and more than
capable of starting a good majority of games at the club.

His injury record wasn’t the best, but it certainly wasn’t the worse either at the club, you only had to look at the expensive signing of Owen Hargreaves who we signed knowing full well he had a problem with his knees. Owen was a bit of a gamble but one I believe has paid off and will start to see this season a goal scoring Michael Owen.

Although I still think he has a few to win over, his goal in THAT Manchester derby was enough for many fickle reds to appreciate what Owen could and was bringing into the side.
A few more goals, including a beautiful hat trick away in the champion’s league against Wolfsburgand it seemed Ferguson’s perceived gamble was very much paying off.

Owens last game in his debut season was in the carling
cup final when he had to come off shortly after scoring, those laying in wait to slay Owen and bring up his injury prone record were delighted as Owen was ruled out for the remainder of the season.

A month or so after that game Wayne Rooney picked up and injury and shortly after was ruled out for the remainder of the season, not for the 1st
time at united Rooney was missing a considerable portion of the season, however the injury prone stick was not waved in accusation.

The end of the season and united finished a point behind Chelsea, struggling to score goals away from home as the burden fell unfairly on Berbatov, I started to think how different things would have been had Owen been fit, if there was one player in our squad at that time that I would bet my life on scoring a goal if a chance fell to him it would be Michael Owen.
However that was not meant to be.

Last season was a difficult one for Owen, fit for the majority of it but like Berbatov having to take a back seat at times as the Rooney/Hernandez partnership delighted us all, that’s not to say Owen didn’t contribute scoring a vital equaliser in the league away from home against Bolton.

Owen had made enough appearances to qualify for a league winner’s medal and justified to all Newcastlesupporters who said he left there for money reasons that he actually went to win trophies.

Although his goal return wasn’t as good as his 1st season the fact
that he was available for selection was very much a positive for Sir Alex
Ferguson who at one point said he wished he could give Owen more minutes on the pitch.

Owen featured on the last game of the season against Blackpool and took a chance he was presented with and finished beautifully, a typical Owen goal.
Unfortunately for Michael we has an unused sub for the
champions league final, however the signs looked good that he was part of Sir Alex future plans especially when seeing Berbatov was omitted
completely.

At the end of the season Owen was awarded a 1 year extension and now comes into the 2011/12 season with it all to play for.

We currently have an embarrassment of riches upfront at the club and competition for places won’t have been so tough during Owens united career so staying fit and scoring goals is all he has to do. Owen has started
pre season in the best possible way scoring in each game and generally looking threatening and match sharp.
Owen will be an asset this season, no doubt about it, mainly I imagine as an impact sub as the Rooney/Hernandez combo will take precedent, Berbatov as much as I'm a huge admirer isn’t the type of player that
can come off the bench and change a game or get a goal on a regular basis,
therefore that task will fall to Owen, kiko and possibly welbeck.

Going by Ferguson’s comments at the tail end of last season, the new contract, Owens form in pre season so far and his avoidance of injury all signs are pointing in the correct direction for him to grab this opportunity with both hands.

Owens Record *
1st Season

Stats
Total minutes of football: 1119
Total goals: 9
Goal ratio: 1 goal per 124
minutes (roughly 1 goal per 1.3 games)
Assists: 2 (1 in Prem, 1 in the League
Cup)
Goal responsibility ratio: 1 goal per 102 minutes (roughly 1 goal scored
or assisted per 1.1 games)

Accolades
2nd highest scorer in the Champions League (behind 1st place Cristiano
Ronaldo)

Comparisons
Craig Bellamy and Carlton Cole have scored the same number of goals as Owen this season, despite having much more playing
time.

 He has scored more goals than Emmanuel Adebayor and Kenwyne Jones. He has scored 1 less goal than Peter Crouch and 3 fewer goals than Nicolas
Anelka.

Carlos Tevez, who Owen replaced, has played in 2538 minutes and has a scoring ratio 1 goal per 121 minutes.

2nd Season:

Appearances (Goals)

Premier League: 10 (2)
Champions League: 2 ()
FA Cup: 2 (1)
League Cup: 1 (2)
Other: 1 ()

*Stats from www.stretfordend.com

 

Carlos Tevez, a name that brings hate to the surface of the most mild mannered Manchester united fan. Tevez a man who left the Champions of England and European Cup Finalists to join a team that hadn’t opened their trophy cabinet for 3 decades, a team that although not competing with united in terms of trophies were very much a rival in terms of geography.

 Tevez reasons for this were plain and simple, he (and his agent) chased the money, knowing he could be paid much more at city than at united and whilst having to share the limelight at united with players like Rooney, Giggs, Ronaldo etc he would be the main man at city, like his hero Maradonna during his Napoli days.

The moment Tevez left and crossed that divide there was no way back into united fans hearts, he had committed a sin in our eyes and the 1st Manchester derby that he featured in whilst in the sky blue of city he was left under no illusions what we thought of it all.

Looking back at the 2 years he spent in our shirt, 2 trophy packed years full of highs and very few lows, Tevez at united was a major success.
Sir Alex has said many times that united fans build heroes very quickly at old Trafford and Tevez was certainly one of them, you couldn’t help but like him.

The way he battled across the field chasing every lost cause as if this was his last game he would ever play, the way he looked like he would die for united, his enthusiasm just rubbed off onto every united fan, the way he played was exactly how we would play for united given half the chance. He looked as if he was born to be in a united shirt.

It wasn’t just his efforts but his important goals that caught the eye, a few last minute equalisers/winners at home and away, his confident penalty in the champion’s league final, everything about him pointed to him easily becoming a united legend.

He loved the united fans it seemed, he couldn’t believe that we chanted “Argentina, Argentina” at him, he held the badge after scoring goals, occasionally planting his lips on our crest.

As first seasons go Tevez impact was as good as it gets, not only had he won the major trophies in his 1st season but had won our hearts.

The 2nd season things changed

The arrival of Berbatov heated up the competition for places upfront at united and unfortunately for Tevez he was sacrificed for the majority of the time for the slower paced Dimitar Berbatov.
Although still finding the net at a respectable rate Tevez didn’t really seem the type of player to want to fight for a place, it almost seemed he thought he should be 1st choice on the basis of what he did last season.
Whilst Berbatov was failing to win over the united support Tevez was still very much a fan favourite with supporters chanting Argentina whenever they thought Berbatov should be taken off and replaced by the all action Tevez.

Due to the nature of the signing it came to light he was only on a “loan” with us and that his contract would end at the close of the season, this is when things started to get nasty.

Tevez and his representative started running to the press saying united weren’t offering him a  new deal and that he didn’t feel wanted by united anymore. This infuriated united fans which led to us singing “Fergie sign him up” at every chance.
The club maintained their stance that they would consider everything only at the end of the season after the European cup final. A fair point.
Leading up to said final it seemed everyday was more about Carlos Tevez than united, the last home game of the season Tevez coming off waved to all corners of old Trafford as if signalling to say goodbye, again united fans rattled by this started to get on Fergusons back to sign him up. Looking back now I'm almost embarrassed I took part in that chant.

After the final (less said about that the better) Tevez cut a forlorn figure arriving back in Manchester airport, walking through arrivals on his own, headphones in not wanting to talk or mix with anyone at the club. His time with United was over.
The club announced that they had offered Tevez a deal and a handsome one at that, meaning he would have been one if not THE highest paid players at the club but still not what city were prepared to offer him. Tevez chased the money and his agent had yet another massive pay day when he signed for city.

2 years on from that day Tevez looks set to leave the wastelands of city and head to pastures new yet again. He never seems to stay at a club for more than 2 years and at each club towards the end of his tenure he kicks up a fuss and is in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

I have no doubt in my mind that his agent is as much to blame as Tevez in their money driven life, however if we play devils advocate for a second and imagine a Tevez without the devil on his shoulder where would he be now?
Again I have no doubt he would still be at united, winning trophies and being a major part of the squad, he would easily be on his way to becoming a united legend and would have maintained his iconic status at the club.

Now as Tevez enters limbo of not knowing his future we can look on our striking options with much hope to the future in the form of Javier Hernandez, a new cult hero for old Trafford yet one who seems to play simply for the love of football and not his bank account.