In recent weeks defensive frailties have cost United big.
At Fulham, Everton and Bolton we dropped points and last week against Liverpool despite cruising we almost self destructed due to defensive mishaps. Whilst our defence is a 4 man unit (5 including VDS) one name is mentioned more frequently than others when talking about defensive mistakes.
Many have called for Rafael to take over at right back at the expense of John O’Shea, whilst many feel Patrice Evra is still suffering a World Cup hangover and although relatively solid even Vidic hasn’t escaped the scrutiny of all but Jonny Evans seems to be constantly in the firing line and not undeservedly.
The young Irishman rose to prominence deputising for Rio and Vida and many felt he would one day he would be a starter at the club when either Rio or Vidic were no longer at the club or, at a long shot’ at the expense of one of them but his recent displays are seriously damaging not only his reputation and his chances but also our title chances.
At 6ft 2 Jonny isn’t a small guy at all but it seems when he comes up against a player with size or that is physical he gets rattled and other clubs have realised this and are actually targeting him. Obviously all this is nothing new to you, if you watch games you will have seen him struggle against the likes of Davies, Zamorra etc and although he is an extremely talented player, this is becoming a reoccurring theme. Fernando Torres, despite not being in the same bracket as Zamorra and Davies, befuddled Evans into giving away a penalty last week and opened the door to Liverpool’s comeback. Evans himself acknowledged this thus revealed he thanked Berbatov for getting him off the hook.
At 22 you don’t play as many games as Jonny has for United without having some obvious talent and he has showed on various occasions that he can handle players better than the likes of Kevin Davies (no disrespect intended) so it’s clear he is just a player slightly off the pace and out of form rather than him not having the ability and the fact Rio and Wes aren’t ready to step back into the first team and Smalling is still learning the ropes at the club (even though he looked like a bloody star against Scunthorpe on Wednesday) pretty much means that Evans has to play.
At 22 he is very young to be a starting center back for a team as big as United but as many games as he has played and experience he has accrued, the excuse that he is young is one that won’t wash with people any more, he has now entered the territory of fair game and is open to the kind of criticism more experienced players would receive rather than looked at as just a kid to cover for Rio or Vidic.
Usually in instances like these pulling the player out of the firing line can be seen as damaging to a player’s morale but in this instance I think it is more damaging to leave him in there to be getting targeted and thus getting the flak he is. Smalling may be a better option even if it is a temporary measure until Rio is back.
Evans has looked shaky but as I have mentioned he hasn’t been aided by not so stellar performances from the likes of O’Shea or Evra. Even if he is pulled out, it is more than likely we will see him again playing an important part in the first team this season I just fear that if he is kept in now, it will damage him in the future.
Dortmund 97, dominated those games but just couldnt beat gk… Leverkusen 01, we tore them shreds but similar prob…Porto 05, had perfectly good Scholes gl disallowed like a yr after scored, that would have put us in front; some questions uefa, did they fix that game?…Ac 07, we just ran out gas at end of a long hard season…Barca 09, dominated then they got that fluke gl, that hit us hard and we couldnt get back in it..Munich last year, ref screwed us…Sir Alex just had some bad luck, deserved better.
Pique plays behind a midfield that rarely loses possession, also teams don’t play attacking football against barca..I like pique but i don’t for one moment think he would have been better off that jonny..For one pique is seriously slow and gets harried by physical players..
Also i agree with chudi, evans can really pick a pass..In the last game he had one perfect 50 yard crossfield pass picking nani on the right..People who now want evans sold are the same ones who would have felt ronaldo was a one trick pony and nani,berba were utter shit..Thank god saf is the one managing us and not one of these pathetic morons..
Amen Rohit. Amen.
Guys give me and the lad a break. The reason he is being hanged is because he is the youngest in the back 4. Please hit the nail on the head and say the mature players have not helped him at all. The mistakes have not been his entirely but from the wing backs. Please do look else where for the small valves to release your pressure.On experience I too have a problem of using old guards playing for ever. Have you noted how long our young players take to mature? at 21-23 at some clubs they are at the thick of things. However am sure the old guards will be used at sometime sparingly,coz Scholes for that matter has been carrying the engine so well he must be enjoying his game so much which come with age also.
Give it a rest and stop panicing! At present we are missing sufficient defensive cover in midfield and are losing the ball too often. When Anderson and Carrick are fit and Scholesy can get a rest things will improve. if Hargreaves can come back even better. We have not been playing our best and are only 3 points off the lead having gone to some places we rarely do well at. keep the faith!
Ella
The kid needs to develop a nasty streak and quick. Anyone tall and powerfully built has been making him their whipping boy all season. I know hes young but he simply is not good enough or dominant in the air at the moment. Its a shame as hes a talented footballer for sure but he needs to start getting physical or there is no place for him in the first team as hes been a complete and utter liabiltiy this season so far. marking has been as poor as his heading. Get him on the Guinness!!!!!
And its not because hes the youngest that hes getting scrutiny thats just crap. Hes getting scrutiny because he keeps making a high profile error a game that tends to cost us a goal so everyone stop making out that a family member is being slagged off unfairly as hes been crap this season and if you cant acknowledge that then its time to take the tinted specs off im afraid.
The simple fact that he couldn’t defend against zat knight is the clearest indicator that he isn’t up to the standard expected of a premiership centre-half let alone one playing for United. And I’ll emphasise it for those that missed it – Zat ‘usless’ Knight.
This is only part of the problem. The truth is we are wide open in midfield. Scholes is no longer able to play as one of a two in in midfield. Part of the solution is to play a three in midfield offering greater protection to our back four. Anderson and Carrick returning will help to do that.
Have to say as well, where has the bloke calling Fletch sh*t been for the last two years? Hes been just about our best player you muppet.