My Say: 5 Reasons Why Manchester United Don't Deserve To Be EPL Champions This Season

09-May-2010 4:18:00 PM

By Suraj Balakrishnan

More On :  Manchester United
Wayne Rooney, Manchester United (Getty Images)

The following are the thoughts of the writer and not necessarily of Goal.com.


Heading into the final week of the season of the season, Manchester United are a point behind Chelsea in the Premier League title race. With both teams enjoying relatively straight forward home fixtures against Stoke and Wigan respectively, Chelsea seem destined to win their 3rd Premier League title in the Abrahamovich era. We look into the reasons why United didn’t deserve to make it ‘No. 19’.
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1)    Over-reliance on Wayne Rooney

In previous two seasons, United had a number of match-winners in Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez & Rooney himself. With the departure of the former two players, United are heavily reliant on Rooney to provide the goods week -in week-out.
Wayne’s had a magnificent season no doubt with a host of individual honours coming his way but the ankle injury came at a crucial time which dented United’s hopes in the league and Europe.

2)    The curious case of Dimitar Berbatov

No one in world football can doubt the technical ability, skills and overall talent of the Andy Garcia look alike. However his temperament, and more importantly suitability to the needs and demands of United has always been in question. Having a languid style of play and a hefty price tag doesn’t help either.

12 goals in 23 league starts doesn’t isn’t bad for a man who has been questioned from all quarters. However, critics will point to the games where he could not perform in the absence of Rooney such as the games against Chelsea, Blackburn & the second half against Bayern Munich. When it has mattered the most, he simply hasn’t delivered.
 
3)    Central midfield

They say games are won and lost in the middle of the park and United simply don’t have the quality of previous years anymore. A combined total of £53.6 million was spent on Owen Hargreaves, Micheal Carrick & Anderson, none of whom have cemented their place as a first choice in United’s line-up, albeit for different reasons.
Ferguson’s preference of academy product Fletcher and the ageing legs of Scholes & Giggs says much of the current options available to the veteran Scottish manager. Patience at a big club doesn’t last long and one shouldn’t be surprised if there are a few arrivals (and departures) this summer.
Lack of creativity from central midfield has been a regular feature of United’s season with Valencia,the versatile Giggs & more recently Nani providing the bulk of assists through wide areas. The deficiencies in the area have also seen the emergence of a 4-5-1 formation becoming the norm, rather than the exception against many a side.
 
4)    Bench strength

The red devils went into the season with Micheal Owen, ‘Kiko’ Macheda & Danny Welbeck as backup for the strikers. With the age & injury worries of Owen coupled with the inexperience of the youngsters, United were always going to be found wanting at some stage of the season.
Ferguson was hesitant to give Evra a rest owing to the lack of a reliable replacement at left back & the situation was no different at right back following the injury to John O’ Shea. Rafael & captain Neville have cost United vital points through the season.
In the case of midfield, Scholes & Giggs have been used more than required owing to the lack of trust in the likes of Obertan.
 
5)    They’re Ill–Fated

Last but not the least, fate hasn’t been on United’s side this season.
One of the worst defensive injury crises in the club’s history saw Darren Fletcher & Micheal Carrick slotting in as full back & centre-back respectively with only Patrice Evra as a regular in the defensive department till the beginning of 2010.
Refereeing blunders in both games against Chelsea could well be the difference in the end, not to forget Rooney’s injury at the worst possible time.


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