More points dropped, more ground lost. But whilst at such an early stage of the season the numbers are academic, the performances are not.
Saturday’s goalless draw at Sunderland was another very subdued offering from the Reds who have now drawn all four away league games this season. Again, rather than figures, more of a concern would be the notion that they have been sufficiently worked over by each of Fulham, Everton, Bolton and Sunderland. Chelsea have had a bit of luck with the fixtures, but it’s fair to say United could have gone about this quartet with a bit more decorum.
There’s been issues at either end with the defence too leaky at times and the forwards hitting a couple of blanks, but the mitigating factors behind these lies somewhere in the middle, or to be more specific, the weakest midfield United have had since Kleberson, Quinton Fortune and Eric Djemba-Djemba were strutting their stuff.
As demonstrated at the Stadium of Light, despite the surprise starting X1, the midfield were completely out manoeuvred by Sunderland’s who, although played very well on the day, are essentially mid-table material. Too often United are losing the midfield battle in games and this manifests itself elsewhere.
Last season United won only three of the ten games they played following Champions League duties, and it was another weary after show on Wearside. Steve Bruce’s maulers hustled hard from the off, but even after the early chasings, United could never exert themselves on the game. They lacked the legs of Sunderland, but even in possession there was too much lethargy to trouble the enthusiastic hosts.
If Ferdinand and Vidic can get games together then things will shore up at the back, and the forwards have sufficient danger between them to score the goals. Yet the key component is the missing middle part and unless that is rectified, United will fall short when it matters once again.
Amongst them there is undoubtedly the necessary ability, experience and depth, but what it does lack is, to keep it topical, some x-factor. Previous regimes had Robson and Keane as inspirers, and inspiration in the likes of a Giggs, Scholes, Beckham or Ronaldo. There isn’t much in the current crop that has the same punch and there is no obvious candidate to hold the torch throughout the season. Darren Fletcher’s reliable but restricted, Scholes and Giggs can’t do it every week, Michael Carrick doesn’t change games, who knows when Owen Hargreaves will reappear and in what shape, Darron Gibson’s done well but is back-up , Anderson needs games and to regain focus and Nani, a real asset when he’s on it, needs to produce more. Park...life?
Individually and collectively, United must recapture the art of seizing hold and commanding games. It is only then will they wrestle enough points from losses and draws will they be able to regain lost titles.
On the face of history, it may be premature to be writing the obituary now, in seasons of yore United have started just as underwhelmingly, yet, invariably evolve into a title winning unit. So, can the class of 2010 pass the season long tests their predecessors so often did with top marks? Must do better.
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