[...]Injuries and rotation
Injuries are something every side has to deal with but United seem to be going through an unfortunate spell at the moment. All six strikers have been injured at some point so far this season whilst similarly at the back, only Jones has been forever fully fit. However, more pressing is the CM area – Cleverley and Anderson injured with Carrick suspended saw the unfit pairing of Fletcher and Gibson benched against Basel in favour of Jones and Giggs. More on that to come though.
As eleven individuals, most United sides should have been able to qualify through from that group but the weekly team rotations surely cannot help to create a settled side.
Ja tego nie pisałem choć może tak wyglądaćCentral midfield
This could be a blog entry in itself. The thing to make clear is there is no obvious answer – the midfield lacks imagination but then it also lacks bite. I’ve blogged before on why I believe grit and balls should come before creativity – and then suggested a solution. In short; just because other sides play a ‘creative’ CM (note in a 4-5-1) that doesn’t mean we have to follow their lead. United’s midfield has traditionally been built upon winning the ball and being effective; allowing the wide players and forwards to take the lead on more creative parts of the game.
It seems incredible that United entered into a game, let alone a Champions League game with a 19 year old centre back and a 38 year old former winger as the central midfield pairing. Even so, United created 22 chances away from home and scored one goal; similar to the 29 created vs. Newcastle recently. So to what extent is the problem in the central midfield area anyway? The lack of movement up front isn’t a central midfield issue and seemingly neither is creating chances.
