Manchester United Analysis – United again struggle away from home
Wednesday 29 December 2010
BIRMINGHAM CITY 1
Bowyer 89
MANCHESTER UNITED 1
Berbatov 58
Manchester United may have returned back to the top of the Premier League but it was with a sour taste that they left St. Andrews. Sir Alex Ferguson’s men may well feel aggrieved due to the nature of Lee Bowyer’s equaliser but the manner of the result was as much down to United’s making as a perceived refereeing error.
United have only won once on their travels in eight Premier League attempts this season and they started this game looking like a side unsure of how to win away. The way Ferguson sent his team out appeared to confuse his charges, with many players looking unsure of where they were actually required to be playing. Too often Wayne Rooney was left tracking back on the left side while the most natural left sided player in the United forward ranks, Ryan Giggs, was often the furthest player forward. It was clear that Ferguson wanted both Giggs and Rooney to play of the spearhead of the attack, Dimitar Berbatov, but in increasing the gap between the two first choice strikers all that was created was confusion. Following the performance of both Berbatov and Rooney in the first half against Sunderland on Boxing Day it seems a mystifying decision as to why the partnership was broken up for this encounter.
Arguably as worrying as United’s lack of cohesion and away record is the loss of key wide men at an important stage of the season. In the Red Devils’ recent strong performances, most notably against Blackburn and Arsenal but throughout the last few months, both Nani and Ji-Sung Park have been two of United’s best performers. Sir Alex placed a lot of trust in these wide men and they have certainly delivered of late with the biggest compliment to be paid to them the clear loss not having them on the pitch on Tuesday. United had no width throughout this encounter instead playing into Birmingham’s hands by trying to go through compact central areas. Darron Gibson, a player who has struggled for form in his preferred central role this season, was too often required to provide some inspiration from the right flank. More a conventional worker, Gibson fell short of this required task. Reports were that Nani would be fit for this encounter with United fans hoping their devastating winger will be back for the New Year’s encounter at West Brom.
It wasn’t just going forward where United lacked cohesion with Rio Ferdinand putting in one of his worst performances this season. Prior to Nikola Zigic being introduced Ferdinand looked all at sea unable to keep his feet and unusually finding himself out of position. The way in which he lost the physical battle with Zigic when the big Serbian was introduced was not what is expected of one of United’s most experienced players. He may argue that he was in fact fouled for the equaliser but both before and after this he appeared shaken by the presence of the Birmingham striker. This was a strange performance from a centre-half usually so calm and collected.
United may go into the New Year unbeaten in the Premier League but this certainly isn’t the statistic which will be at the forefront of Ferguson’s mind. If United are to win another Premier League title this season there must be a stark improvement in their form away from home.
Starting XI
1 Van der Sar
21 Rafael - 15 Vidic - 5 Ferdinand - 3 Evra
28 Gibson - 8 Anderson - 16 Carrick
11 Giggs - 9 Berbatov - 10 Rooney
Substitutions
73 - 24 Fletcher on for 8 Anderson
91 - 14 Hernandez on for 28 Gibson
See the full list of OLBG's free Football Tips here.
Related Articles
|