[Keano4taoiseach]

The Keano factor, and I have to admit, the Essien factor.

Essien was fantastic today, box to box throughout the match and won every ball he contested in midfield.

-We have Carrick who can pass but is slow and clumsy at times and can always go missing.

-Scholes is nearing the end and doesn't have the strength or pace anymore.

-Anderson is still young and can't control or dominate a midfield.

-Fletcher tries hard and always battles on but he lacks a through footballing brain and the passing and vision necessary.

-Hargreaves, our 30 million right back, has the fire and the passion, but his passing has let him down in matches this season. Played well at right back though.

We needed a Michael Essien today (and against Barca) or a Roy Keane or a Patrick Viera, and we didn't have one.

Sure Fergies tactics were wrong, but we still needed a player who could go from box to box and make crunching tackles and rally those around him.

I saw no leader on the pitch for United today.

All I saw was a group of players being pushed around by a psyched up Chelsea team.

 

[spellbound]

I admire Essien but he's no Keano. He's no Keano and never will. Keano was a mean guy and even the toughest guy's out there almost sh!t themselves when they saw Keano stepping out on the pitch.

We better accept there wont be another Keano and as you say, at the moment we have no one going from box to box in the squad. We're not playing the same kind of football as we did during the glory Keano days.

 

[fazman]

The Keano factor, and I have to admit, the Essien factor.

Essien was fantastic today, box to box throughout the match and won every ball he contested in midfield.

-We have Carrick who can pass but is slow and clumsy at times and can always go missing.

-Scholes is nearing the end and doesn't have the strength or pace anymore.

-Anderson is still young and can't control or dominate a midfield.

-Fletcher tries hard and always battles on but he lacks a through footballing brain and the passing and vision necessary.

-Hargreaves, our 30 million right back, has the fire and the passion, but his passing has let him down in matches this season. Played well at right back though.

We needed a Michael Essien today (and against Barca) or a Roy Keane or a Patrick Viera, and we didn't have one.

Sure Fergies tactics were wrong, but we still needed a player who could go from box to box and make crunching tackles and rally those around him.

I saw no leader on the pitch for United today.

All I saw was a group of players being pushed around by a psyched up Chelsea team.

Im very very unhappy with you k4t have faith I will remind u about this when we win the league

 

[Wazza1989]

what we do need is a good striker...and not calritos and rooney's type....we need a type Ruud was...maybe Huuntelar..would be a great solution.....realy don't know what could we need to change the situation..

 

[scott 4 evra]

The Keano factor, and I have to admit, the Essien factor.

Essien was fantastic today, box to box throughout the match and won every ball he contested in midfield.

-We have Carrick who can pass but is slow and clumsy at times and can always go missing.

-Scholes is nearing the end and doesn't have the strength or pace anymore.

-Anderson is still young and can't control or dominate a midfield.

-Fletcher tries hard and always battles on but he lacks a through footballing brain and the passing and vision necessary.

-Hargreaves, our 30 million right back, has the fire and the passion, but his passing has let him down in matches this season. Played well at right back though.

We needed a Michael Essien today (and against Barca) or a Roy Keane or a Patrick Viera, and we didn't have one.

Sure Fergies tactics were wrong, but we still needed a player who could go from box to box and make crunching tackles and rally those around him.

I saw no leader on the pitch for United today.

All I saw was a group of players being pushed around by a psyched up Chelsea team.

I agree with everthing said here. We were really outmuscled today. No leader. Hargreaves was supposed to be our Essien and we stick him RB. Crazy signing. We needed a big powerful midfielder.

 

[Jazz 16]

Keano was the best though in fairness.
Its hard for our present crop to compare because the ONLY Cm who
compares with Keano is Vieira and they both no longer play in the Prem.
We possibly have the best group of midfielders in European Football, along with
Barca and Chelsea possibly.

We cant complain too much to be fair. Scholes is a different player to Keane
but on his day equally as effective in other areas. There is time for Hargo and
Anderson as its their first season. Carrick as well is a different type of player.
You mention Essien who IS class and in the kind of Keane mould but to be
comparing our midfielders to Keane is a bit harsh imo.
As the saying goes 'There's only one Keano' and he will never be replicated or
matched for what he brought to the party.

 

[desmondo]

I think fergies tactics recently would make any midfield look lacking.

 

[red_devils4life]

Im very very unhappy with you k4t have faith I will remind u about this when we win the league

Give him some time faz, he's probably still pissed that United lost tonight...

 

[Stephen]

Anderson can drive the midfield. Even now, and he did do until he came off. Absolutly sensational player.

Rio is a born leader.

 

[Jay007]

Keano was the best though in fairness.
Its hard for our present crop to compare because the ONLY Cm who
compares with Keano is Vieira and they both no longer play in the Prem.
We possibly have the best group of midfielders in European Football, along with
Barca and Chelsea possibly.

We cant complain too much to be fair. Scholes is a different player to Keane
but on his day equally as effective in other areas. There is time for Hargo and
Anderson as its their first season. Carrick as well is a different type of player.
You mention Essien who IS class and in the kind of Keane mould but to be
comparing our midfielders to Keane is a bit harsh imo.
As the saying goes 'There's only one Keano' and he will never be replicated or
matched for what he brought to the party.

As usual, Jazz comes up with the post that will probably be the post of the thread.

Our midfield is fine imo. All 5 are different types of midfielders, so there is plenty of options. Okay, today we had a bad game, but thats just not the midfields fault and I don't think theres much wrong with our midfield.

Also, Hargreaves is a great CM and he should have been moved there today when O'Shea came on ( in all honesty, Anderson should have stayed on.) I also think Anderson has the ability to dominate the midfield (Arsenal away and FA Cup and Liverpool away) but it is extremely unfair to expect a 20 year old to dominate the midfield every game.

The problem today was the wastefulness in the final third (Nani particularly) and they way we set up.

The positional problem today was up front. Because of Saha's injury troubles, we only have 2 fit strikers who, being honest, were not made to play up front alone, and we could have really done with a Saha figure up top who we could play on his own (if REALLY needed) or with a deeper partner (Rooney or Tevez.)

Not only that but, like I said in the "Risk losing to Chelsea" thread, we SHOULD have started with the strongest team, whether that was a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3.

 

[Keano4taoiseach]

Keano was the best though in fairness.
Its hard for our present crop to compare because the ONLY Cm who
compares with Keano is Vieira and they both no longer play in the Prem.
We possibly have the best group of midfielders in European Football, along with
Barca and Chelsea possibly.

We cant complain too much to be fair. Scholes is a different player to Keane
but on his day equally as effective in other areas. There is time for Hargo and
Anderson as its their first season. Carrick as well is a different type of player.
You mention Essien who IS class and in the kind of Keane mould but to be
comparing our midfielders to Keane is a bit harsh imo.
As the saying goes 'There's only one Keano' and he will never be replicated or
matched for what he brought to the party.

And that's what is wrong with our midfield!!!!!!

We have a group of players who (except Scholes and possibly Anderson in future) have certain attributes of great midfielders like I pointed out in my first post.

We don't have that box to box midfielder who can run the engine room, launch into tackle after tackle and always find a pass.

Keane did it for years, Essien did it today, I haven't seen a United midfielder do it consistently for years.

Last season Carrick was good and Scholes, but it was our attacking players and defence who won us the league. Same this season, Best Defence and Ronaldo.

It is our midfield, where we seem to have too many options that is our weakness!!!!

Barca walked through our midfield and Chelsea, Bloody Chelsea carved open our midfield today like it was a training match!!!!

Fergie was largely to blame and Hargo should definitely have been moved into midfield and O'Shea put at right back when Anderson went off.

Still, we don't have that Robson or Keane player.

 

[acazzer]

I agree with everthing said here. We were really outmuscled today. No leader. Hargreaves was supposed to be our Essien and we stick him RB. Crazy signing. We needed a big powerful midfielder.

WE did not put hargreaves rb fergie put him there cos tactically the mans a fool

 

[dlan4327]

I personally would love a dominate attacking midfielder to play in the middle of the park. Like Kaka but NOT Kaka. I don't know. Anybody know of any decent central attacking midfielders going around? THere seems to be a skills shortage in that area. DOes anyone else get the feeling that there seems to be more defensive midfielders around than ever? In the African Cup of Nations almost all the teams were playing with two defensive midfielders in the center. Inter often play Cambiasso/Viera. Bayern sometimes play Ze Roberto/Van Bommel. If Flamini's wages weren't so high Juve were willing to buy him which I guess means they were going to play Sissoko/Flamini. Heck even Real and Barca have their defensive midfielders now and remember these are two teams who believe the word defence is a filthy thing that should only be uttered when there is no other choice. I'm growing weary of defensive midfielders. In fact I'm going to do something about it.

I am starting THE CAMPAIGN TO BRING BACK THE ATTACK!!! Please speak up if you also feel there are too many defensive midfielders. I don't hate them but football is moving towards defense every day, even as we speak.The problem is, it's a game. What's the point of winning if you can't get a crowd on their feet while doing so? Where have the amazing attacking midfielders gone? Scholes, Zidane are old and/or retired. Kaka is one, Van De Vaart, Diego. Help me hunt for others. Suggest them, please.

 

[sparkic]

Yeah we do need a real dmc in the middle of the park and Hargreaves is just that...this just shows how much we need a RB not another cm imo...because if we did have a rb we wouldn't have to play our dmc in rb!!

 

[Jazz 16]

WE did not put hargreaves rb fergie put him there cos tactically the mans a fool

Its posts like this that just baffle me beyond belief.....
So you say that tactically fergie is a 'fool' ?
So obviously ALL those trophies he has one to date have been what?
a fluke? luck?

 

[Drew9]

lassarna diarra anyone ?

 

[real_fan]

WE did not put hargreaves rb fergie put him there cos tactically the mans a fool

vidic injured so had to swap it around it was just unlucky about vidic thats all

you how ever calling fergie tactically foolish is a stupid point

thats the thing about our modern day support

if we dont win a game we are rubbish and its everyones fault

would of been funny seeing you support united in the 70 and 80's

 

[Jazz 16]

And that's what is wrong with our midfield!!!!!!

We have a group of players who (except Scholes and possibly Anderson in future) have certain attributes of great midfielders like I pointed out in my first post.

We don't have that box to box midfielder who can run the engine room, launch into tackle after tackle and always find a pass.

Keane did it for years, Essien did it today, I haven't seen a United midfielder do it consistently for years.

Last season Carrick was good and Scholes, but it was our attacking players and defence who won us the league. Same this season, Best Defence and Ronaldo.

It is our midfield, where we seem to have too many options that is our weakness!!!!

Barca walked through our midfield and Chelsea, Bloody Chelsea carved open our midfield today like it was a training match!!!!

Fergie was largely to blame and Hargo should definitely have been moved into midfield and O'Shea put at right back when Anderson went off.

Still, we don't have that Robson or Keane player.

How could having the best group of midfielders in Europe be whats wrong with us?

Hargo and Anderson have the potential to be players in the mould of Keane.
Anderson is full of energy, box to box, enormous strength and self belief,
fearless and can tackle like a demon. He wasnt expected to feature as much this
season but from what we have seen, he could go on to be one of the finest
midfield generals in World football. Trust me he has the potential.

As for Hargo....Ive always said that he was our most important signing last
summer. We know what he brings to the table, though some fans need more
convincing

Like Anderson and Keane....he has energy beyond belief, great tackling, strength,
box to box if needs be. Like Keane he has versatility and can play anywhere on
the pitch from defender, midfielder to attacking winger.
With so many CM's around Im not sure where Fergie will end up deploying him,
but one things for sure he can do a job in the middle a la Keane, once the
injuries clear up and he is given a chance.

We are blessed to have the midfielders we do. No one will ever be as good as
Keane was, but they can come mighty close through hard work, passion, drive
and determination.

Balance is key at the end of it all, but thats Fergie's job to decide who the
generals shall be in the middle of the park.

 

[Drew9]

i agree, hargo was brillian yesterday when he came on !

 

[Justice]

We have Anderson. End of.

Such a fighter, he's a little bull.

Better than Essien IMO.