Winter’s Here. Opportunity Knocks …
Taunting Jose Mourinho hit bullseye with his doubts about United’s squad depth.
The criticism wormed deep into the collective United psyche, with an impact far greater than the Chelsea boss could have ever imagined. Commentators and fans have spent all week discussing little else but Mourinho’s mind games. Even United’s scuttling of Everton, with five changes to the team that drew with Chelsea in the weekend’s match, was bypassed in the rush to judgement on United’s quality in reserve.
Captain Gary Neville felt compelled to intervene in the debate too. “There has been a lot of talk about the squads of the teams at the top but we have shown we can handle some changes,” he said. “Players who deserved a chance came in and did a great job. They were the ones who carried us through the game because some of the lads who have been in the team all the time were quite sluggish, I know I was.
“But Darren helped a lot down my side, Kieran penetrated quite a bit down the left, John O’Shea did well in midfield and Mikael Silvestre looked as though he had never been away in defence. Considering those lads had not played a lot recently they did very well.”
In the intoxication of victory, the skipper’s observations surely came during a moment of light headedness. Neville cannot have forgotten so quickly the manner in which Giggs, Scholes and Carrick were overpowered by Chelsea in the second half of the clash with the champions. Nor can Neville pretend with any real conviction that the quality of United’s fringe is a cut above or even the equal to the talent on the champion’s bench.
This realisation, once digested by Ferguson and the club’s owners, must surely spur United to serious activity when the transfer window opens in a month. Last summer, cruel whispers suggested that the Glazers had hoarded cash to pay off debts and fund the outlay of Ferguson’s successor. United’s rebirth in the past twelve months entitles Sir Alex to that war chest now. If spent wisely, it might even deliver the Premiership title.
Owen Hargreaves was pencilled in as United’s main transfer target, so his announcement that his injury has been slow to heal and would delay his planned return to action until the new year, was disappointing to say the least for Sir Alex.
Media chat suggests the club were poised to return to Bayern Munich with an increased offer for the England star. That bid may still surface if United receive positive bulletins on Hargreaves’ progress. There are also rumours too that the £20 million price tag may well be reduced if United show willingness to part with Wes Brown.
As the England midfielder is ineligible for European competition, his purchase would be a signal that United are intent on capturing the title for the first time in four years. Nevertheless, the deal would represent a significant short term risk for the club. The leg injury is such that there are no guarantees that Hargreaves form, energy and enthusiasm would return with any great rapidity. United’s winter shopping especially in midfield, will surely be based on the need to recruit starters rather than squad men. Indeed, United’s recent experience with players returning from injury - Rooney, Heinze and Smith - might prove to be an important brake on the club’s willingness to recruit the player now rather than next summer.
Sir Alex may consider that his midfield, though lacking the variety of player that he would prefer, can wait until the season’s end for improvement. Fletcher and O’Shea might not please the crowd but they appear to have the manager’s confidence. Sir Alex will have taken heart from the defeat inflicted on Everton without three of the sharpest tools in his box and his midfield all but dismembered. He is conscious too of the impending return of the pace and industry of Park Ji Sung and the continued excellence of United’s Cristaino Ronaldo. Ex-United boss Tommy Docherty was right when he declared in a recent interview that United play when Scholes plays. But that trueism might soon need revision as Ronaldo grows into the role of United’s key conductor.
If Ferguson can not or will not find the midfielder to improve his current selection, he could be tempted to put whatever cash is at his disposal in the service of recruiting a striker. Persistent rumours link the club with Fernando Torres despite his flat refusal to join last summer. Torres’ eligibility for European competition increases his value to both buyer and seller alike. It would however, be a major coup if United were to find the £23 million needed to break Athletico Madrid’s resolve.
Jermain Defoe is rumoured to be the favoured alternative if United fail in their attempts to lure the Spanish hit man to Old Trafford. Defoe is young, gifted and English. His settling-in period might prove shorter than an expensive overseas-player, with a less than Ruud-like scoring record. Defoe would not come cheap. Spurs got the better of United last summer in the Carrick deal and the London club’s negotiators must be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of going head to head with United’s moneymen again, especially as Liverpool, disenchanted by the poor return of Craig Bellamy, are said to lurk with intent.
Sir Alex has bloomed as his team has blossomed this autumn. The groans that accompanied the start of the campaign have turned to cheers as United have proved yet again that they are the team best equipped to challenge Chelsea. Even with a three point lead, Sir Alex’s side still has it all to do, with testing matches away at Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs and Villa looming large. The opening of the transfer window gives Sir Alex the opportunity to revive and refresh his squad and consolidate his team’s impressive early season work. It should not be missed. AU
© Copyright: Absolutely United 2006
