Man Utd Are Now A One-Man Team

Ollie Irish

21st, January 2010

12 Comments

By Ollie Irish

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Man Utd’s lone star lacks a strong supporting cast

Forget Liverpool’s two-man team – it appears than Manchester United have become a one-man team. (And unless that one man is a 1986 vintage Diego Maradona, it’s a dangerous situation.)

The only man playing like a champion for the reigning title holders this season is Wayne Rooney. Without Rooney, I suspect United would be out of the title race already. He was magnificent against Man City on Tuesday night, operating on a higher level than all of his team-mates – something he’s been doing all season. No wonder he is visibly frustrated that no one else seems to be on his wavelength.

How Wazza must miss Cristiano Ronaldo. Sans C-Ron, you don’t see this from United anymore:

I don’t recall Rooney scoring a goal like that since Ronaldo left for Madrid. Why? Because you never see Berbatov or Owen or Nani or Valencia counter-attack with such a deadly combination of pace and skill; United’s threat on the counter-attack has decreased massively since the Portuguese forward’s move to Spain. That makes them a much easier team to defend against.

Still, somehow Rooney’s form has not suffered since Ronaldo departed Old Trafford – the Englishman has maintained his high standards, but these days he has no one to wreak havoc with.

Of course, with Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic set to return soon, United could yet move into title-winning gear. But god help Alex Ferguson if Rooney gets injured for more than the odd game.

And with United’s debt now standing at a scary £716m, it doesn’t look like Fergie can do much to strengthen a squad that is solid by Prem standards but lacks truly top-class players in their prime.

Fletch says:

7771325

“Get out.”

Posted in Featured, Man Utd

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12 Comments

  1. Gareth Rees says:

    If this is based on Tuesday night’s performance, or indeed the season to date, I think you’re doing an incredible disservice to Evra and Valencia.

  2. mizman says:

    i 100% agree with the above comment. valencia and evra have been superb

  3. Ollie says:

    Evra, agreed. Valencia is having a decent debut season. Neither have been operating regularly on the same level as Rooney though.

  4. patto says:

    very good article man utd are now very average

  5. Kipp says:

    Ripped from F365:

    Manchester United
    * Manchester United’s record with Dimitar Berbatov in the starting XI is 34 points from 13 games. Their record without him is 13 points from nine games. That’s 2.6 points per game v 1.44 points per game.

    So in essence, you are wrong.

  6. Ella says:

    This is nonsense! I love Wayne but the English bias is ridiculous. Rooney has not even been my man of the season so far – Evra has, with Valencia not far behind! Rooney is a fabulous team player but he squanders too many chances to be seen as really great unless you are wearing English rose coloured spectacles. I’ve been a United fan for over 50 years and I am a season ticket holder. No team would have coped as well with so many injuries. The demise of United predicted by the London biased press is perhaps a little premature.

  7. Sheps says:

    I too was going to angrily post about Evra and Valencia. Both have been fantastic, both are playing well enough to be part of a championship winning side.

    United do desperately need some more attacking power though. The plan for this season only worked if Nani, Anderson, Berbatov, Owen, Scholes were all regularly chipping in with goals and assists. They’re not. To be honest, embarassingly enough, the next best attacking player this year in my opinion, when he’s been on the pitch, is Gabriel Obertan.

  8. sawfer says:

    Alex Ferguson has let go all the stars; although we hated the attitude of Cristiano Ronaldo, but he was beyond all, the best player in the world! and with rumors about Wayne Rooney going to Barcelona, i got myself thinking: what is FERGIE doing? he spent more than 2 decades trying to build a team that HIMSELF thrashed in 1 year !!!

  9. David f says:

    I would agree with Sawfer to a certain extent. Man yoo really aren’t the star studded team of recent years, but I don’t feel like that takes away from their class… they are just lacking a bit in their squad depth.

    I mean with Ronaldo you could always expect something amazing to happen when he stepped on the pitch and ya that partnership between them was ideal. Ever since he left the club it just seems like a lot of the flare left.

    Of course not taking anything away from them, pretty good football this season, just not Classic Manchester United I don’t think.

    But what do I care, I support the toon so we’ll see you guys at the top next season (Maybe I shouldn’t speak too soon…)

  10. What?!! Let go all the stars?? No, he let ONE star go. One selfish egotistical prick who never performed in the big games anyway. He hasn’t exactly set La Liga on fire has he?

  11. What about Giggs, Van der sar, fletcher. There is quality everywhere.

  12. This perception has changed since Rooney’s performances this season. Its a shame he’s not a one girl man like he is a one man team on the pitch hey?

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