If you looked in a hypothetical dictionary of football, under the entry for Manchester United you will find words such as flair, excitement, passion, spirit, will to win and never say die attitude. This philosophy is woven deep into the heart of the foundations of the club and is a set of unwritten rules that each generation of players must try their hardest to adhere to.
Watching last night's drab Champions League match against Olympique de Marseille made me wish for some examples of the word that has always been synonymous with Manchester United - FLAIR. At one point I tweeted that I was longing for the threat of Ronaldo; the speed, the craft, the way he always gave the opposition defence something to occupy their minds with. Instead I had to observe the workmanlike performance on show that in all fairness, got the job done but as Alan Tonge observed, would hardly have the likes of Barcelona quaking in their boots. How refreshing would it have been to see an away performance this season that would have acted like a true statement of intent from United bouncing round the length and breadth of Europe but alas it was not to be.
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| Back in tandem - flair personified |
To be honest, a goalless away draw in the Champions League should not be classed in a negative light and most observers would make the Reds strong favourites to progress. True, an away goal would now put United in an awkward spot but any kind of victory will see us safely into the next round and our opponents did not give any indication that they possess the kind of threat that will worry the home team at Old Trafford.
Mitigation for last night's display will rightly come from the raft of injuries currently experienced but can anyone honestly say that the likes of Anderson, Park or Giggs would really have made a significant difference to the excitement factor on show? The point I am trying to make is that watching United this season has not been the joy that it has been in many seasons gone by. For years, onlookers would know that whatever the match, wherever it was played, Manchester United came to win. Not only that, they came to play you off the park, to impress their superiority onto you and they did so with pace, style and that significant word flair.
Away performances were illuminated by the attacking verve of two wingers (Kanchelskis, Sharpe, Ronaldo, Giggs) overlapping full backs and wave after wave of incessant pressure. And this potent package was supported by a midfield general and a solid uncompromising back line that did not give an inch yet was often the first line in a lightening counter attack that used to devastate our opposition.
For all the doom and gloom I have painted above, I actually feel quite strongly that the solution does not require major change or upheaval. It is quite simple in my opinion, we need that midfield general spoken about above. This is what would set United free. Free to counter attack with pace, free to pour bodies into the opposition box, free to bombard opponents from all areas of the pitch. They could do all of this safe in the knowledge that the back door is firmly shut, the insurance policy is in place and a breakdown in an attack would not automatically lead to pressure being exerted onto the back four.
The reassuring part of the current United make up is the solidity of our back four and the personnel involved. In Vidic, Ferdinand, Brown, Evans and Smalling, we possess a quintet of centre backs that when fit and in form are the envy of our rivals. The virtues of pace, power, composure and experience are all possessed in abundance by these players. And when you station a midfield general in front of them patrolling, breaking up play and supplying a simple pass to a forward thinking colleague, you have a potent defensive barrier.
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| Thou shalt not pass - now start the attack ! |
The full back area is another position where the Reds are adequately covered. The youthful exuberance of the Da Silva brothers coupled with the all round ability of Evra, mixed in with the versatility and reliability of O'Shea (and Brown) mean that the outfield defensive positions are well stocked. A commanding goalkeeper along the lines of a Van Der Sar or a Schmeicel will be high on the wishlist in the summer but extensive research and planning will mean that this vacancy will already be some way towards being filled ahead of the main business required. Further discussion about summer reinforcements can be found in Tom Pattison's excellent post here.
Going back to the lack of a midfield general since the loss of Roy Keane (and injuries to Owen Hargreaves), the switch to a defensive 4-5-1 formation in almost all of the perceived "big" matches has in fact been a subconscious admission by Sir Alex that we do not have the strength in this area to persist with an attacking 4-4-2. For those who say United play 4-3-3, I would disagree as the two wide players chosen in this system are invariably selected for their work rate as much as their attacking flair. This can be shown by the regular inclusion of Ji Sung Park (in a 4-5-1 formation) who is famed for his non-stop running and energy rather more than what he adds from an attacking perspective. Look at the role employed by Wayne Rooney in the Champions League final in 2009 against Barcelona as a case in point. We all know the ability that he possesses but it was his work rate and willingness to assist his full back that saw him selected on the left rather than as part of a traditional attacking 4-4-2. This left the real attacking threat in the hands of Ronaldo playing up front on his own and a midfield of Anderson, Carrick and an ageing Ryan Giggs (supporting Ronaldo) was hardly likely to put the fear of God into their Spanish counterparts!
The question should also be asked just how many quality attacking performances have been seen when employing this 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation. To be fair, it is a ploy that seems to work perfectly when used against Arsenal. Memories of box to box counter attacks at the Emirates Stadium come flooding back with the likes of Ronaldo, Rooney and Nani involved but apart from these glorious exceptions to the rule, it is hard to think of many others. What the addition of a quality midfield general would also provide is the option to play a narrow three when the opponents demand a tighter away display. At the moment, United simply go for 4-5-1 out of necessity amid a fear of being overwhelmed in this vital area and bearing in mind the quality of personnel available. Safety in numbers you might say but it is simply masking the problem rather than being a solution.
There is a great deal of excitement currently over a number of youth players that could soon be knocking on the first team door. The likes of Ravel Morrison and Robbie Brady certainly look to possess the necessary flair and Tunnicliffe and Pogba show an abundance of steel and determination but all are at age where it may be 18 months to 2 years before their true ability is ready for the big stage. United's need is now but would the club risk blocking the path of such talented youngsters by signing talents such as Jack Rodwell and Jordan Henderson who are slightly more advanced currently in terms of age and experience?
The other slot I would like to see filled is a versatile attacking midfielder which would certainly bolster the creative flair amongst the current squad to help balance out the "water carrier" attributes that so many present incumbents possess. It was a tag famously awarded to current Marseille manager Didier Deschamps by United legend Eric Cantona who felt he only existed to give the ball to more talented colleagues. Many names have been banded about for this role but my preferred choice would be someone who can adjust between playing behind a central striker whilst also having the ability to play wide when required. Such players are hard to find but if the right one could be identified then it could go a long way towards raising the bar in terms of excitement provided by the first team in the years to come.
Best, Charlton, Cantona, Ronaldo, Giggs - these are players from United's long history that exemplify the very definition of the word flair. Style, Elegance, Imagination. It is present in this and all United teams of the past but to release it and show its true value, other vital cogs in the wheel must be available. Let's hope that in the remaining weeks of the season, the United fans are treated to glimpses of such fantasy to help round off what will hopefully be our record 19th league title, 12th FA Cup and 4th European Cup/Champions League!
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