2013-05-18T05:02:06-04:00 Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=doron-salomon Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Doron Salomon Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2874793 2013-03-14T19:00:00-04:00 2013-05-14T05:12:01-04:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
Yet, there are times when you can't help but wonder. And despite acknowledging that this is a meaningless task that some will use to taunt and others will dismiss as a waste of time, I wondered whether this Chelsea side are the worst defending European Champions in the Champions League era. Why that time period (since the 1992/93 season)? I'm too lazy to go further back and it ties in nicely with when football actually properly started*.

To start, a few little facts: there have been 20 winners in that time from seven different countries. The Premier League's performed quite well actually with four champions, bettered by Italy (5) and Spain (6). Generally defending champions have gone on to perform well in their domestic league with eight sides going on to win their league title the season after. In fact only three sides have gone on to finish outside the top three which suggests it's rare for defending champions to drop off badly.

Today, Chelsea sit fourth in the league and in all likelihood will cling onto that place or better for the remainder of the season. It's mathematically possible for them to be champions still but a gap of 19 points to United with 10 games to go would require miracles of Red Sea proportions to make that happen. It would be easy to forget that this is a side that finished sixth last year, 25 points off the Manchester clubs and had £80million+ worth of talent join in the summer whilst talismanic striker and hero, Drogba departed. For the time period I'm looking at, they are indeed the first defending champions not to make it out of the group stages and are now struggling against Steaua in the Europa League (written pre second leg).

It's not really been a happy 2012/13 for the London club - CL winning manager gone; hated interim manager in charge; soon to be record breaking midfielder still not tied down for another year; failure in various competitions; and general discontent among the fans. Still, you could argue that Marseille's defence of their title won in 1992/93 was worse.

Despite being reigning champions of Europe with a free pass into the Champions League again, Marseille never had the chance to defend their crown in the 1993/94 season. A match-fixing scandal saw them banned from European competitions and despite finishing Ligue 1 in second place, they were eventually thrown down into Ligue 2 in what became a very dark few years in the club's history.

Mind you, Chelsea haven't quite 'done a Dortmund' domestically. Some (me) might suggest that Dortmund had been lucky to win the 1997 Champions League at all after Cantona and United should have beaten them in the semi-final home and away but nevertheless they went on to win in the final. The following season they went on to finish a whopping 25 points off the lead in the Fußball-Bundesliga - a record for defending Champions League winners to date. Their final league position was a lowly 10th out of 18 teams and they were closer to the bottom than the top in terms of points. Their European performance maybe was the saving grace somewhat as they managed to get as far as the semi-finals but with no back-to-back wins it confirmed that they'd be without European football in 1998/99 (when another German team made headlines)

With the exception of that Marseille team, all defending champions have automatically had re-entry into the tournament for the following season but with no team able to defend the trophy win, they've all had to rely on league performance for entry the season after and with the exception of Dortmund all have managed it, sort of. I say "sort of" because AC Milan have made it into the UEFA Cup/ Europa League twice rather than Europe's main competition. Having won the tournament in 1994 and 2007, AC went on to finish fourth and fifth in Serie A the season after which wasn't good enough for a Champions League spot. To be fair, they did make it to the final again in 1995 but didn't fair too well in 2008 when they conceded twice late on at home to Arsenal in the first knockout round.

The tricky nature of defending the title is well documented but many sides have gone deep into the competition before falling late on. Nine teams have made at least the semi-finals although it feels harder to achieve now with cycles ebbing and flowing at a greater pace and teams more able to invest crazy money over a summer. For four years in a row, the defending champions fell at the first knockout stage - Porto in 2005, Liverpool in 2006, Barcelona in 2007, and AC Milan in 2008. Incidentally, as reigning European champions, Barcelona only lost the La Liga title in 2007 on their head-to-head record with Real Madrid, despite having a goal difference that was 19 goals better than Madrid's.

So how do Chelsea compare? One shouldn't scoff at their group - Shakhtar are a good side whilst Juventus look like rising again as a force in European football but even so, as European champions their performance was unquestionably bad. Whilst wrong to assume they should beat everyone in their path, one can give the other group teams too much credit and overlook just how much has been spent on putting a squad of quality together.

Are Chelsea better than they were last year? It would be easy to look at cup performances and say no but they'll end up performing better in the league - they're just 12 points short of last season's total with ten games left to play. Sure, they lost their mountainous striker and let a few other squad players move on, but they brought in raw talent for big money and added some depth with Azpilicueta, Moses and Marin. Even the most staunch of Chelsea fans would struggle to deny that luck aligned for them in Barcelona and in Munich - they probably should have lost on both occasions to better sides. Is one Drogba more valuable than a Hazard and Oscar? Maybe, but that feels like the difference between the two teams.

To answer my original question, I don't think they are the worst defending European Champions yet but failure to qualify next season might give them that unwanted title. Only 1997 champions, Dortmund, are worse off with their 10th place finish despite a good European cup run in 1998. That I'm even debating whether a side with such wealthy resources as Chelsea are the worst says everything about their season so far. The warning bells have been ringing for many months and may yet continue to do so into the summer.

*Not really]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.2250597 2012-12-07T19:00:00-05:00 2013-02-06T05:12:01-05:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
One such article, recently written by the Times' Oliver Kay, makes a very strong case for Wenger and highlights things he's gotten wrong. Kay attacks the fans who are making cheap shots at Arsene, he suggests that the manager deserves more gratitude. For what he achieved in the past and for changing the mentality of the fans he does. The high expectations at the club are primarily because of what Wenger has been able to achieve. However, the past shouldn't be used to justify the future.

To assess Wenger and discuss - there is no correct answer - why maybe he is as culpable as many think he is for Arsenal's relative decline there are a few key areas to look at. You have to go back to 2004.

Signings and Experience

Wenger's great rival, Sir Alex Ferguson, has always maintained that the only way to build on success is to strengthen and better yourself. Off the pitch, Arsenal were set to capitalise on the success that Wenger's Invincible side of 2003-04 had brought by moving to a new stadium. On the pitch, the process of adding the squad had already started with young talents such as Jose Antonio Reyes and Robin van Persie joining.

In the coming seasons, Wenger would make a calculated decision to let experienced players leave and replace them with youth. His squad slowly started to have fewer and fewer footballers who'd actually won anything. Letting players go in their prime was of course nothing Wenger wasn't already doing - Emmanuel Petit and Marc Overmars both left before they'd peaked whilst Nicolas Anelka never really settled.

Up until this point, net financial figures were not part of the wider football fan's vocabulary. Arsenal, like most clubs, were a spending club - selling but reinvesting. It was only as Arsenal were forced to take a tighter grip on it all that the club became obsessed with the idea of net spend. Time would show that there were indeed cash reserves unspent and that Wenger had chosen not to spend all that was available to him. Spending for the sake of it is unwise but his squads that lacked in a key area - experience. Still, it was youth that he plumped for as Alex Song, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri and others were brought in (alongside the odd older player like Alexander Hleb - but oddly many of those signings were never right).

Wenger's transfer market dealings have been not just his greatest strength over time, but often his greatest weakness. That in its own is a whole piece and I spent time two years ago looking at patterns in Arsenal's spending and the type of players that were being signed. It's undeniable that he changed what he was doing, particularly when signing certain types of players. Ferguson has remarked that the best squads have tiers of players at various stages of their careers - Wenger's early Arsenal squads had this and he was successful. Since then, it's something he's completely overlooked. A man once so acute in the transfer market has even become a panic buyer - there was no way he went into the summer 2011 window with the aim of securing Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker and Park Chu-Young

Philosophy and Stubbornness

Essentially, Wenger was ahead of his time. His idea of trying to bring young players through together, playing a certain type of attractive football was what Barcelona did a few years later. However, in trying to achieve this, he overlooked a few things - the Premier League needs variants, and the players needed guidance.

Admirable as it was to change how the club played, and to lower the average age of the playing side, his best players wanted trophies. The line was that he was building a side that could be top again and winning but it never materialised. Famous blow-outs occurred, mental cavings and a reluctantness to change that stemmed from the manager himself. That was never more vivid than in his tactics - rarely any 'plan B'.

Whilst his hand may have been forced to some extent in terms of changing a successful method, Wenger has arguably taken it too far. Players he's nurtured are maturing elsewhere and it's not just because Arsenal aren't in a position to match the wages being offered by other clubs (note Wenger's pay and note the ludicrous amounts fringe Arsenal players are getting in what's a very flat wage structure) but because Arsenal were on the slide and players who've left the club have invariably gone on to win trophies with their new teams.

I suspect Wenger is too proud a man to admit he's made errors but whilst getting the philosophy he tried to adopt wrong is partially forgivable, like Ferguson today, there are some odd and inexplicable decisions. Hole filling, not just in the transfer market but in his teams is evident. Aaron Ramsey, a talented young central midfielder seems to be getting playing predominantly wide. The burden being placed on Wilshere is incredible, particularly after so long out of the game. Gervinho seems to be playing well within what he was capable of at Lille. The examples of misjudgement or odd management are growing and signs of change are not that evident.

Watching Wenger on the touchline gives a real insight into the mentality of the team right now, or so it seems. Frustration and almost the look of a lost wonderer are common expressions on his face. His body language with that slumped look is that of a man who's losing a fight but don't expect him to give up. Arsenal, despite qualifying from their Champions League group, are falling further back in the league - the club may say there's money to be spent but they'll struggle to attract the top players and struggle to keep their own better players if things continue this way. It's feasible that Wenger's excellent run of qualifying for Europe's elite competition could end this season.

Conclusion

It's too easy to suggest that no one could do better than Arsene at present, not least because that cannot be proven. Arsenal's problems though are not just results based - the club needs an overhaul and a change. A freshening up may add some competitive edge and rejuvenate both the fans and the players. There shouldn't be any fear about going backwards to go forwards - Wenger's are big shoes to have to fill.

Arsene will forever have his achievements at Arsenal to hold up as the standard bearer for the calibre of manager he was. They though are in the past and whilst arguably he's overachieved in recent years he was responsible for raising expectations at the club to the highest of levels. The same man though, is also the one responsible for subsequently failing to reach those levels he once set over what is now a very prolonged spell at the club.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.2175142 2012-11-22T07:47:36-05:00 2013-01-22T05:12:01-05:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
Famously, Bebe's early and teenage years were far from normal. Passed between family members and homeless shelters run by the church, football offered an escape. Allegedly, he excelled in Portugal's second division at a small, going bust club. Their financial predicament was so bad that he'd end up leaving Amadora on a free and make the step up to Primeira Liga side, Vitoria SC. He'd never make a competitive appearance with them though because United swooped to sign him that same summer, just after his 20th birthday.

The fact that over £7million had been paid for a player who was still very much off the radar in Portugal wasn't even the most shocking thing. United staff had never seen him play before - the official line was that Carlos Queiroz recommended him and suggested United make the move happen because Real Madrid, Benfica and other large clubs were interested in him despite his move to Vitoria only happening weeks earlier.

Something more sinister had possibly happened though. Third party ownership rules meant that Bebe wasn't just owned by Vitoria but 40% of him was owned by GestiFute, an agency. Given Bebe's status as a footballer, for an agency to receive £3million as part of a transfer seemed crazy. However, a quick look at who GestiFute's owner is can get many a conspiracy theory going. Jorge Mendes, United's favourite deal-broker, reportedly managed to make a hell of a lot of money of an unknown footballer. The same Jorge Mendes who'd played his part in ensuring United were able to keep Ronaldo after the 2007-08 season despite the fact he wanted to make his dream move to Real Madrid happen. Like I said, this is a good one for conspiracy theorists.

His background and potential use as nothing more than a pawn in a web of transfer dealings provides some perspective into why his current situation today is sad. His impact at United on the pitch has been minimal. His first season showed how little footballing education he'd had - the basics simply weren't there. His second season saw him unceremoniously shipped off to Besiktas on loan with an option for a permanent deal which would have seen United make more than a 50% loss on him. A bad injury and a bad attitude saw him limited to a handful of appearances and he returned to United this summer.

This summer, the keepers of the faith, and there seem to be many these days, enjoyed Bebe's cameo appearances on the summer tour of South Africa and China. Truth be told, he did well and stood out in some diabolical games but it was never going to be the start of his United career proper.

He was squeezed into United's Premier League squad but hasn't featured at all and didn't make the Champions League squad. Younger players have been favoured over him in the Capital One Cup and similarly so even at U21 level. He's not been a regular for United's second string and it's easy to see why - he captained a very youthful U21 side earlier this week and was nothing short of appalling. Bizarrely, his crossing (of YouTube fame) was the only good thing about his performance. He was regularly incapable of beating his slight-of-frame opposition winger, 17-year-old Jack Grealish; his touch was dreadful and he often played his team-mates into awkward or tight situations.

The moment that best sums up not just his U21 season so far but probably his United career happened a couple of weeks ago, away to Newcastle's U21 side. He was played through on goal completely unchallenged. Newcastle players simply stopped on the halfway line expecting an offside flag to be raise - think Barthez against West Ham - they may no effort to try to get near him. And yet, as he closed in on goal with just a keeper to beat he made the poor decision to shoot early and as the ball bobbled up perfectly to be sweetly struck he managed to miss the goal. It's hard to estimate how many metres high and wide his shot went but 10 in both directions wouldn't be unkind.

You see, there's a reason that 17 and 18 year olds are preferred to him, he's just not good enough and never will be. Bebe never should have found himself at Man United, maybe not even a Premier League team let alone one of the world's biggest and best sides. You may point out that he's now got a lifestyle that he could have only dreamt of when he was younger and that's great for him but this isn't a case of simply looking at the monetary side of things. At present, he has no career and no prospects. Apply that to a job outside of football and you wouldn't want to be doing it unless you were purely money motivated - you're rarely relied on to perform a task and younger people being promoted all around you, it's not fun and it's not his fault.

His embarrassing performances so far this season are awkward to watch. In the past I may have chosen to mock him but now it's little more than sad, like watching the runt of a litter. If Bebe truly wants to have a career as a footballer, United should allow him to leave at the earliest opportunity to whichever club is willing to give him a chance - even if that's at a much lower level. His addition to the United squad has had no positive footballing impact, and although he's developed as a player, he's way out of his depth. We'll never know truthfully why he was signed but this from rags to riches chapter in his story needs to finish for his sake.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1941823 2012-10-05T06:13:24-04:00 2012-12-05T05:12:01-05:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
For some reason when a player turns 30 there becomes a need to justify his position in a team. Football's becoming a young man's game with 'wonderkids' cropping up all the time at a seemingly younger age all the time. So much has the attitude to age in the game changed that if you've not 'made it' by the time you're 20/21, you're deemed not good enough. Patience is sadly not something that football, the business, can afford these days.

The concept of age within the game is an odd one. Fans naturally enjoy watching young footballers progress into the first team and afford them some license to make errors. There is an old adage in sport that says 'if you're good enough you're old enough'. This has always been applied to young players but rarely, maybe even never, to footballers at the other end of their career and when you think about it, that's odd. For example some cite the fact that Scholes still starts for United as "desperate" because of his age - rather than actually addressing the fact he remains good enough despite his age.

For Ferdinand, there are two parties judging him - United fans and England fans. He's now in his eleventh season at United and has (in my opinion) been the best centre back the club has had in my lifetime. Aside from being an elegant ball-playing defender, he's grown and matured at the club which has shown him up to be an excellent leader - far from the glitzy, flashy, loud-mouthed youngster that he once was.

Being mature and a role model doesn't necessarily mean that in terms of footballing ability you're still good enough. The famous 4-3 win over Man City three years ago highlighted that Rio was losing his pace. To be able to play at the very top he'd have to adjust, he'd have to play a bit deeper and give strikers a tad more space as he can no longer match them for speed on the turn.

Adjusting was something that took time but looking back, the transition period proved relatively easy. Ferdinand has always read the game well and seldom gone to ground to make a tackle. Stepping back made sense then, he can see where the ball is and can pick and choose his moments to step up and get closer to opposition strikers. As this way of playing became more natural, his form returned.

Last season was possibly even one of his best for United. Ferdinand excelled when partnered (23 times overall) with Jonny Evans, whose style seemed to complement him. Evans is not as direct a defender as Nemanja Vidic nor as dominant but unlike Ferdinand he likes to attack headers and doesn't mind sliding along the ground. Ironically, it's Evans and the other young centre backs that pose the biggest threat to Ferdinand. This season, his form hasn't dipped (contrary to what the press will tell you) - his hiding by Bale was one of pace and was no surprise, he could have done nothing differently. That one incident has apparently meant he's in 'bad form' - not only can few defenders keep up with Bale in his stride but actually Ferdinand's form is good. His performance at Anfield, when he was at his imperious best, was outstanding.

There will of course come a time when Evans, Jones or Smalling will be better than Ferdinand. Smalling seems the obvious replacement and his imminent return to fitness will be a big threat to Ferdinand's position. Realistically though, United's number five is more than capable of performing at a high level with the club for at least this season, particularly if the midfield and fullbacks remember how to defend properly.

England's a different matter though. Ignoring the ridiculous scenario surrounding Ferdinand, John Terry and Ashley Cole, England squads should work on a two year cycle. Despite being in form and good enough for England, reality suggests that come the World Cup in 2014, Rio won't be one of the best English centre backs and therefore for the purpose of continuity, familiarity and building squad camaraderie it's understandable that he's not in the current England squad. And, selfishly, it means United can keep him fit and rested.

Unsurprisingly, Gary Neville had it spot on last Monday on Sky. Not only did he point out that the blame for Spurs' goals shouldn't lie solely with Ferdinand but his rant was a timely reminder that Ferdinand's actually still a pretty decent footballer. His fragile body is susceptible to injury and for that reason he almost certainly won't last as long as Giggs, Scholes or any of the age-defying centre backs of the last 10 years. When fit, he remains a valuable asset for United both in his playing ability and leadership qualities. Age can help explain a decline but should never alone be cited as a reason to not pick a player.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1876256 2012-09-13T19:00:00-04:00 2012-11-13T05:12:01-05:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
A year ago and United were embarking on a league campaign without both their club captain and arguably the finest English footballer for many, many years. Gary Neville retired in February 2011 having started just three games in nearly six months - he could no longer keep up with the pace of football. His final few appearances had been both sad and embarrassing and his retirement could have easily come earlier.

By contrast, Paul Scholes went too soon. Oddly, his retirement felt right at the time - he was going out whilst still capable of playing at the top level but had concerns about how much he'd still be picked at United and had no desire to drop down the football league. His now infamous return proved that actually, his ability to control and influence games hadn't waned and he'd retired before any signs of a dip in his technical ability.

As a footballer gets older, there is often a need for reinvention in order to prolong the playing career. Scholes has moved deeper and whilst he still gets forward, those runs are rare. His 'quarterback' role has also seen a further appreciation of what he can do. His ability to not just find space but create it and then make use of the ball remains extraordinary. The need to change to accommodate an ageing body is something that's relevant to midfielders more than any other position. That said, Marcus Gayle and Dion Dublin are two examples of players in other positions can also adapt.

Maybe the most famed example of a change has been the Giggs-shift. Once a hamstring-testing pacey winger, Giggs started to move infield behind a striker and has now settled in a deeper central midfield role. For many reasons, the change has been impressive. As a winger he had to be an outlet - uninvolved in the busy goings on of a game but ever ready to contribute when the ball was sprayed out to him where he'd attempt to make goals. Centrally, he not only gets more of the ball but often has more time on it and has to use it more efficiently. There are other important differences too - including positioning and the type of running he has to do.

That's all good and commendable but Giggs' ability to influence games positively in that area is worth questioning. To get the niceties out of the way - the man is one of the few legends of the game still playing. He was never the very best United player but his ability to perform at such a high level so consistently for so many years gives him that legendary status. What he's achieved is unparalleled in the modern game at the top level, particularly in England. He'll rightly go down as one of United's finest players.

His status shouldn't mean that we judge him any differently when he plays though. By the same logic that if a player is good enough he's old enough, old age shouldn't matter if he can still positively influence results and performances. Some statistics will tell you that Giggs' contribution remains vital - he still directly influences goals more frequently than other players. Other stats though paint a different picture. In what is the age of the pass completion percentage, Giggs comes in way below what's expected of a central midfielder.

Numbers may not explain games but often they do reflect what the eye has seen. Sub-average pass completion stats for Giggs correlate to the fact that when it comes to ball retention, he's not ever fully adjusted to this part of being a central midfielder. His instinct is to try a flick or an ambitious pass - fine if he's playing high up and able to take those risks but that's rarely the case. This has clearly been recognised as he's fallen down the pecking order.

With Cleverley's return to the first team, he, Scholes, Carrick, Anderson and Kagawa are all ahead of Ryan. For a man who's praised for keeping himself so fit it's not even a case of resting him and using him sparingly. It's simply getting harder to justify selecting him over other players and trust him not to give the ball away in key areas. Even during the Olympics, Stuart Pearce made the decision to drop him (there are only so many games you can claim to rest someone for).

Clearly experience is hard to buy - players like van Persie seldom become available - and the importance of having Giggs around at the club is vital. His position as a role-model to younger players in how to train and live a non-celeb lifestyle will forever be held up as the benchmark by United.

Every season, sometime after the Christmas/New Year spell, a short press release tends to announce that Ryan Giggs will play for another season. Arguably, the news of a new deal back in February shouldn't have come. Despite what the romanticism in our hearts might suggest, Ryan's now seldom good enough to justify selection, at least not from the start of games.

This November, in his 23rd season in the United first team, he turns 39. With over 900 first team appearances at the highest level, his place in history is assured. The fact that it's not clear cut whether the team still need him serves to show that closure isn't far away. Probably, it should have already happened but I suspect this year will be his last. Giggs' decline is, unlike Scholes', a technical one - one that should make the decision to stop playing easier. Sentiment cannot cloud the fact that despite rare magic moments, if it weren't for Ryan's experience and status, he'd have been binned a little while back. Continuing to play will not tarnish his career but for the sake of United on the pitch, I hope this is his last year.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1750659 2012-08-07T07:24:27-04:00 2012-10-07T05:12:03-04:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
The belief, held particularly by part-time sporting enthusiasts, is that the Olympians are 'better' people than the year-round stars. Olympians are courageous, hard-working, motivated by gold but not the monetary type, humble, emotional, honest... and according to one Tweeter, they show "self-sacrifice and humility".

Whilst the commitment and normality of most British Olympic athletes cannot be questioned, this seems to miss the point. With the exception of a few, most of the GB athletes will not be heard of by the majority of the public until the next major international tournament. Their sports are, on the whole, not mainstream.

The knock-on effect of this means that these athletes do not get wide coverage, their sponsorship deals are smaller and therefore their faces aren't seen on billboards nationwide all the time. There isn't a thirst to be hearing about them all year round - we admire them because they generally compete in sports that we've never attempted. They do something we can't do.

These people are, after all, special. They're special precisely because we tend not to know much about them. The stories they have that get uncovered around the time of the Olympics draw us in and grab our attention. We would be less enthused about them if we saw them on the back pages of the papers every day - we'd know all about them already, there'd be no surprises.

For these reasons, it's wrong to compare them to footballers. Football is the national sport - it commands back-page, prime-time coverage. Whether you're a fan of it or not, it'll enter into your section of the news: finances, showbiz, fashion; you cannot avoid it. Don't think for one minute though that the Olympic athletes don't go and party. Similarly, don't think that footballers don't work hard.

Footballers may get extortionate wages and multi-million pound sponsorship deals, but they still have to train and put the in the practice. After all, we don't even consider that these guys are in training every single day, we just accept it as the norm - nothing special. Yet because an athlete has been working so hard towards an event (oh, and the Olympics isn't the only event they compete in!) it's deemed a remarkable praise-worthy feat.

Like anything in life, the more familiar you become with something, the more you see its flaws. If more Olympic sports were shown weekly on national television; and if the individuals who compete were to get the kind of money that comes with increased coverage; I'm sure they'd also become slightly more dislikeable with larger egos. Fortune and fame easily changes people, our Olympians in general are lucky that they can lead rather normal lives.

I made a suggestion on Twitter that given all the various legacies people talk about from the games, the one that many have overlooked is the media legacy. Given the surge of public interest in so many of these fringe sports, might the broadcasters consider showing them and might the media consider covering them more often? In many ways, I hope that many of the periphery sports don't become mainstream. It's nice to be able to enjoy watching unblemished sporting stars whom we know very little about. Whilst many of the sports could do with more funding the fact that they and the individuals who compete are so mysterious adds to the fun of it.

The Premier League superstars would be completely incapable of acting more like the average Olympian even if they tried - the paparazzi are forever following them around and the papers are always looking for any hint of a slip-up. Not to mention that we actually know who they all are because of this. There are of course issues with football and footballers with regards to money and lifestyle but our own interest drives that - we want to watch them every game and so the media groups put more and more money into the sport leading to disproportionate wages. But we treat them very differently too. We make them into year-round stars and celebrities and we put them on a pedestal.

It's therefore wrong for the likes of Gilles Peterson to say: "I hope footballers learn to be as humble and appreciative as all the athletes in these olympics...."; and it's wrong for Nick Knowles to suggest: "You've got to admit the silly tantrums and rolling around feigning injury of footballers seems even less manly after the Olympics!" (FYI, Nick, bet you weren't complaining when the GB men's rowing pair made sure their boat was broken). We don't treat the Olympics sports and the individuals involved like we do with football and so comparing them, and trashing the footballers is pointless.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1611285 2012-06-20T05:10:12-04:00 2012-08-19T05:12:08-04:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
I'm no lionhearted England fan but I support my country and want to see them do well. They play when my club doesn't, so there's never a conflict of interest. Like many United fans, I went through a phase where I fell out of love a bit with England - the generic England fan disliked United; the United players took the blame for failures; and the 'Golden Generation' became nothing more than a tease. Over the past couple of years though, there's been something likeable about the transition into a new generation of players.

The Euro 2012 campaign was never going to be straightforward. A manager who wasn't the media's first choice was appointed; players were left out for strange reasons; injuries hit key personnel; and the nation's best footballer was guaranteed to miss two games. These factors were all put into a massive computer and what came out of it was sensible journalism. England weren't expected to win the tournament, may well have difficulties in their group and anything beyond the quarter finals would be excellent.

And then the games started.

I'm not sure that England have been in control or dominated a single one of their group games. Each performance has been unconvincing and unspectacular but yet somehow solid and lucky. Caution reigned against the French before an entertaining but worryingly open game against Sweden. By this point, the return of Rooney meant that England could go on to win the tournament, apparently. Ukraine provided a tough opposition - they should have at least drawn and were hugely unlucky as a poor decision meant they were robbed of a goal (THE BALL WAS CLEARLY OVER THE LINE!).

Group D has proven to be incredibly disappointing. The quality of football has been poor and brief spells of entertainment have been cancelled out by caution, lack of quality and more lack of quality. England have topped it because they've been the most consistent side - something Hodgson deserves praise for. It's been a long time since an England side have played like a unit and come across as being 'together'. Rooney has alluded to the fact that this year, it feels much more like a club setup, the players all get on and are used to being around one another.

Part of that determination to get results may well stem from Gary Neville. Whilst Steve McLaren was criticised for being too friendly with the players, Neville's in a perfect position to bridge coaching staff with playing staff. He's not long retired, knows the players and commands their respect. Neville though is a natural winner - someone who achieved what he did in football because of a mental attitude, not talent. That solidity and attitude to getting things right is why England are in the quarter finals now.

Tactically, the two banks of four have been tight, reliable and probably wrong. England don't have the players to make it work - Gerrard and Parker individually are good but as a pair they're just not enough. Had Barry been fit, I daresay that he'd have joined them in a three - Hodgson's current predicament in terms of available players is far from ideal. The fact remains that a better team, maybe even Italy, should have a field-day playing their three against our two in the centre of the pitch.

Assessing England and making a reasoned prediction is hard. They're capable of more but certainly limited by the system and to an extent, the personnel. Gerrard for example has been praised for influencing the key moments but on the whole he's been no better than average. John Terry, a most dislikeable man, has for me been the best England player - something that's occurred because of the amount of defending England have had to do.

Comparisons have been made with Chelsea's Champions League success - it's been cited as a reason England can win the Euros. The reality though is scenarios like that are rare and England shouldn't be expected to win the competition. There's nothing wrong with hoping, I would love to see them crowned Europe's best, but a dose of realism is needed. A couple of unconvincing wins against poor or out of form opposition shouldn't equate to probable tournament success.

If England don't progress past Italy, I hope that there won't be the usual and predictable blame-game. This isn't the 'Golden Generation' and it isn't a particularly special England team. Chances are, they'll achieve exactly what they deserve to and whilst we, the fans, will want more, we should probably be somewhat satisfied rather than angry if things don't follow the ideal route. There's nothing wrong with being honest, we're not rubbish but we're also unlikely to win the tournament. Better times with some good young players are probably ahead for England rather than here now.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1576692 2012-06-07T04:35:43-04:00 2012-08-06T05:12:10-04:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
The Reserves was the natural step up for most of the squad. They were an experienced U18 team and the majority would be too old for the Academy in the 2011/12 season. Individually though, those who have moved up to the Reserves have had seasons that really don't reflect the trajectory they were on.

Sam Johnstone - one of the success stories. With height and physical growth has come a season of highs for Sam. A loan to Scunthorpe in League 1 at the age of 18 is impressive for a goalkeeper and he came through that spell well, making ten appearances. His return to United saw him play a big part in the Reserve season run-in, including some huge saves and penalty shoot-out success in the Reserve Playoff Final. Sam's ended his season by captaining England's U19s and will either be with them this summer or on the first team tour for the second year running.

Michael Keane - his move from right back, back to his preferred centre back position has been inspired. Now one of the tallest in the Reserves, Michael had an outstanding season and has definitely benefitted from spells in midfield and right back - he's incredibly comfortable in possession and an accomplished defender. He made his first team debut at Aldershot, made his England U19 debut, and won Reserve player of the year. Like Sam, if he's not at the Euro U19s, he's a certainty for the first team tour.

Sean McGinty - a somewhat average first half of the season at United saw him get minutes in the Reserves whilst Fryers was used at centre back. With the return of De Laet from loan, McGinty was sent out to Morecambe where he played four times before his season was cut short by a dislocated shoulder. He only played 15 games this season, not the progress he'd have hoped for.

Tom Thorpe - the captain of the FA Youth Cup winning side endured a very odd season. He only started 12 of the 32 Reserves games as injury niggles held him back. Physically, Tom's a bit of a late developer and so he was sometimes used in central midfield to toughen him up. With 8 sub appearances, no one played more minutes off the bench at Reserve level and he did end the season with appearances for England's U19s, scoring his first goal for them. Yet having been captain and certain starter, Tom, despite showing his class, has had a very stop-start season.

Michele Fornasier - for Fornasier, read Tom Thorpe. Much like Thorpe, a certain starter at U18 level had to deal with substitute appearances and more often than not was used out of position in central midfield. The reliable Thorpe-Fornasier centre back pairing was broken and disused.

Zeki Fryers - has had a good season both at left back and centre back. It's even lead to surprise first team appearances when injuries hit. A much better season for him following injury hell the season before. Yet, he's rumoured to be on the way out as the club are yet to meet his contract demands. The Twitter folk who seen to have a finger on the pulse say that he's almost certainly gone.

Alberto Massacci - with just one start for the Reserves and a host of injuries he was released in April.

Luke Giverin - just three starts as Luke remains on the periphery of the team. His season ended well though, a new contract and a winning goal in the Manchester Senior Cup.

Jesse Lingard - no first team debut but a good season. Nominated for Reserve team player of the year after 9 goals and 9 assists, he's proof that height and physicality aren't always needed to do well. Has an outside chance of going on the first team tour.

Larnell Cole - despite being nominated for the Reserve team player of the year, Larnell had a mixed campaign. He did well at times but was often no better than average. He made his first team debut at Leeds, but neither playing him at right back nor right wing really made the most of his abilities (best used centrally I think). Still, if he can get fit, he'll surely be part of England's Euro U19 squad.

Paul Pogba - flashes of magic were few and far between. Overall, a very disappointing season at Reserve level. For all the hype, he rarely ran a game. His talent remains undisputable and he made 7 first team appearances but never started for them. He's now signed for Juventus and will earn a wage he probably doesn't deserve yet. Arguably their midfield is as good as anyone's right now so he probably won't be playing first team football there.

Ryan Tunnicliffe - half a season on loan at Peterborough didn't really seem to help his progress. Despite playing 26 games there at Championship level, he was very hit and miss. His return to United revealed a heavier, slower, less sharp footballer and he only started to look like his old self in the last few Reserves games of the season. The loan would have been a good experience but it feels like he's not improved as a player.

Ravel Morrison - a tainted genius. Just four appearances for the Reserves in which he still scored three goals - still he was picked for the first team twice. Injuries and discipline kept him out of the side and the club decided to wash their hands of him in January as he joined West Ham.

John Cofie - played more minutes off the bench than he started for the Reserves but he was unable to get ahead of other strikers. He went on loan to Antwerp and failed to impress there. No progress for John.

William Keane - one of the rare cases of progress. Another superb season at Reserve level in which he scored 19 and set up 10 more. Despite a first team debut, his season though ended on a sour note as he damaged his ACL on international duty and will now miss 6-9 months.

Despite collective success, individually only a few of the players have endured the season they hoped to. The triumvirate of Morrison, Pogba and Tunnicliffe - an unrivalled midfield machine for their age - has been pretty much dismantled. The centre back pairing of Thorpe and Fornasier have been seen in central midfield more often than not. Fryers has had a good season but appears to be off. William Keane's wonderful campaign and progress has been halted in the most cruel of ways. Of the 15 to be promoted from the Academy, 20% have already left the club!

It serves to show that hype should always be met with caution. Few would have predicted that the brightest stars from that group would have been Michael Keane and Jesse Lingard. It's often the quieter ones who not only work hardest but are likely to achieve the most. Aged 19 at most, these players have plenty of time on their side to get things right and many will probably be out on loan next season to aid their development. However, expectations may well have to be realigned - youth success, even in the most comprehensive of fashions, doesn't guarantee anything.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1542930 2012-05-25T12:29:06-04:00 2012-07-25T05:12:18-04:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
With the announcement of the England squad for Euro 2012 last week I jokingly suggested to some friends that it must have been Roy Hodgson who was behind it. Carrick of course made neither the squad nor the back-up list as Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Parker, Milner and Henderson were preferred. Internet outrage ensued, and then subsided as it seemed that Carrick had all but retired from international football. This still irks me though.

Until recently, many fans forever thought of Carrick as the man who was bought to replace Roy Keane and ultimately 'bottled it' in Rome (2009). Carrick was of course never bought to directly replace Roy - for some reason a change of style was deemed necessary and a passer was bought to replace an enforcer.

Carrick's first season was one of general learning for the squad as Ronaldo and Rooney started to blossom. His second was the one where under-appreciation of him really began though. In a side that was full of fair players who'd attempt to beat a man and take risks, he was the calming, reliable player at the heart of the side. It was whilst the side had so many entertaining players that the idea that Carrick was boring and unnecessarily slowed United's play started to emerge.

Possession is maybe somewhat underrated in England. Most English sides are based on the idea that when in possession they'll try to make the most of it in a very short space of time. Carrick is capable of quick, one-touch football as many moves this last season have shown, but he's arguably at his best when hurried and pressured. He never hesitates to play the ball to a man in space, even if that does mean passing backwards. After all, if you have the ball, the other team can't score.

Somewhat amusingly Carrick's stats for the last season show that the majority of his passes actually do go forwards. Indeed, it was he who played the most forward passes when United played away to City in the league - a stagnant performance in which he was the only United player to have performed well.

Those who watch United and Carrick closely will understand that he's so much more than a ball-player. Arguably his most work for United though is done off the ball. Time has made him clever and given him a good understanding of the game. His positioning is almost always spot on and he can read where passes are going and what opponents are doing with ease. It's no surprise that his introduction into the side in the autumn coincided with United conceding fewer goals. His shielding of the back four with well-timed tackles and interceptions proved vital.

Carrick's always adopted something of an 'unsung' label and true enough, Scholes' return epitomised that. Fergie and fans were lavish in their praise of Carrick following Scholes' comeback but failed to acknowledge that he was probably at his best before then, playing with authority as the midfield responsibility fell on his shoulders.

I'd argue that it was Carrick's consistency that allowed Scholes to settle so quickly upon his return. Many felt that Scholes allowed Carrick to play with more confidence but I think it was a mutual transaction where they both benefitted from each other. So much so, that we learnt that whilst still rash, Sholes can actually tackle. Why? Because a deeper and reliable Carrick was always back cover space meaning that Scholes would never be forced into a desperate lunge as more powerful, quicker players went past him. Instead, Paul was able to pick his moments to tackle better and time them perfectly most of the time.

So, Carrick and England. Roy Hodgson confirmed Michael had made himself unavailable for selection unless he'd be first choice. A bit arrogant some might say but somewhat understandably he wouldn't want to be fourth choice and never play. His relationship with England has been stutter to say the least. Most footballers would be happy to retire with 22 caps but his have been dragged out since 2001. He's unfortunately to be playing at the same time as the untouchable Lampard and Gerrard - it's only a recent thing that England have discovered that they necessitate an anchor man and Barry has been favoured in that role.

It made sense that Hodgson would say: "I'd have to be convinced he was better than the four I've selected" in order to try and persuade Carrick to come out of retirement so he could select him. Hodgson after all has to back the players he has picked. The odd thing is that it should have been easy for Roy, he should have been assuring Carrick that he'd be first choice. Gerrard's a good footballer but his injury-hit season has not been a good one - he's not in form. Lampard as ever has got goals but it's been an erratic season for him and his Champions League final performance was abject, it's rare to see him so overrun - he's fortunate Chelsea won the penalty shootout or his performance would be remember much like Carrick's in Rome. Barry's a league winner and had a good season but bias and sense tell me Carrick's better than him. Parker's a better footballer than he gets credit for and maybe he should be the one starting next to Carrick with Gerrard or Lampard ahead of them. Either way, Carrick should be going to Euro 2012 as first choice for England.

Having had his best season for United and arguably been their player of the year, to not see him on the plane to the Euros is crazy. Hodgson had the power to make it happen but didn't. Bizarrely, Carrick still has his critics and ardent haters. Some fans will never be able to appreciate a player who does all the simple things to a high level. Carrick knows his limitations and that's what's made him who he is - he doesn't try the things he knows he can't do. I'll finish with a quote from one of the best midfielders of today, Xavi: "Carrick gives United balance... and is a complete player" - England have lacked balance for some time. This was the chance to get it right at a big tournament and on paper, they haven't. As for United, they can enjoy England's best and most in-form midfielder all to themselves.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1508474 2012-05-11T04:09:16-04:00 2012-07-10T05:12:16-04:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
At United, the Reserves are important. Part of United's youth transition policy is not to rush players out on a loan, rather, whilst other clubs are sending talented players out aged 17 or 18, United like to keep them at the club until they're at least 19 and have completed a first year at Reserve level. The bonus from a United point of view is that the club can continue to oversee development, particularly the physical side which tends to enter a crucial possible-growth-related-injury stage around that age. The Reserves has therefore become important for United - the first year after coming out of the Academy; play well enough and you may earn yourself a good loan for the season after.

This Reserve season in particular was always going to attract a lot of interest at United. The core of Warren Joyce's squad was the triumphant FA Youth Cup winning side from 2010/11, containing the likes of Ravel Morrison, Paul Pogba and William Keane. The hype around them was really quite justifiable, this was a group of players who had completely dominated at U18 level and were, unquestionably the best batch of players their age in the country.

Disappoints came as the season went on - the all too predictable departure of Ravel Morrison meant that United fans would never see arguably one of the greatest ever natural talents to have come through the Academy make it at United. Ryan Tunnicliffe went on loan to Peterborough and did well by all accounts but returned to United in March looking unfit and with no obvious signs of progression. Failure to sell Mame Diouf in the summer meant that Will Keane's playing time was restricted up until January. However, promise and positivity outshone any negatives as players showed signs of growing up and Davide Petrucci completed a season without any recurrence of his horrid long-term injury.

To cut the story of the season short, Untied won the Northern Reserve title by an incredible 14 points - they won more games; scored more goals; and had more points than any other Reserve side in the country. This meant they'd be taking on Aston Villa, the Southern champions, in the overall play-off at Old Trafford.

So on Thursday 10th May 2012, under the floodlights at Old Trafford, a young United Reserve side took on and eventually beat a far more experienced Villa side. Champions of the country at Reserve level. The game itself ended 0-0, a dull and flat first half was followed by a fabulous second. Both sides missed glorious chances and really United should have had the game won by full time. For the third year in a row, penalties would decide the play-off and United kept their nerve to win with Sam Johnstone saving three out of four spot kicks. Sam had actually become something of a hero in normal time too, making two outstanding saves in the second half.

Here's the bit that matters most: of the eleven who started for United, nine were from the North-West of England with eight of them from Greater Manchester or the surrounding area. Similarly, nine of the eleven were from the successful FA Youth Cup winning side of 2010/11. This is a group of players who just know how to win. Consider the fact that at Reserve level a lot of the sides they face contain plenty of first team fringe players - so Villa last night had Bannan, Baker, Carruthers and Gardner, all of whom played at Old Trafford for their first team last season. And yet, United outplayed them.

As Chelsea have proven, getting a youth transition policy right is incredibly difficult but United have perfected it. The move from Academy up to Reserves has been trouble-free for this group of players and they've not only been encouraged to play an exciting brand of football but they're doing it and winning.

It's always been unlikely that a club in England could produce a Giggs, Scholes, Beckham etc group of players to break through to the first team in a batch. However with a fair few of the current Reserves already making their first team debuts, United are giving it a good try. Warren Joyce expects quite a few of them to go on pre-season tour with the first team this summer before moving out on loan for the next stage in their development.

For the victorious 18-20 year olds, these are still some of the first steps in their professional careers. Success at this age is more than a bonus but doesn't guarantee anything in the future. Predicting who could still be at United in four years time for example is near to impossible. The majority of players each year don't make it and fans should be aware that simply getting one or two through to the first team long-term would be a huge success.

Coming back to the present day though, most of this bunch are ready for a tougher challenge, loans in the football leagues and maybe even the Premier League for Brady or Norwood. Their season isn't quite over yet though, they could win a treble in just under a week as they go to the Etihad to face City in the Manchester Senior Cup final. Keep a cautious eye on them and see if their perfect transition and development continues next season - for there is quiet excitement in the corridors of Carrington and last night's success against Villa has only confirmed what many already knew: the kids are alright.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1448238 2012-04-24T07:10:42-04:00 2012-06-24T05:12:01-04:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
Owen's signing represented everything that's depressing about the current ownership of the club and its attitude towards signings. Initially, whilst displeased, I was certainly in the 'it's a risk-free signing' camp and with 18 starts in his three seasons at the club, as I suspected, he wasn't brought in to play regularly. The goals he has scored have generally been important in one way or another and only serve to prove that he's still and probably always will be a good finisher. There's certainly some truth to the party-line that Fergie loves to tow, "if you could pick one player for the ball to fall to..."

Somewhat incredibly Owen's career has become something of a joke - this is a guy who scored at better than a goal every other game for Liverpool and almost certainly would have been England's top scorer had he stayed fit (people forget how good 40 goals in 89 caps is). Yet, today, Owen is known for liking horses, having an app and being somewhat dull on Twitter. Seemingly content with just being at United even if he's not playing, these last few years of Owen's career have hardly been the twilight he maybe once envisaged even if he has picked up a Premier League winner's medal.

Owen's tenure at the club should in reality be coming to an end this summer but with Ferguson refusing to rule out keeping him and even suggesting that he could play a part (crazily ahead of Berbatov) this season that's starting to look unlikely. I suggested he'd be one to leave but I've now decided to back-track on that and change my tone. In fact, I'm crazily all for keeping Owen for another year. There is some logic to this madness though.

United are currently at an interesting place in terms of strikers. Past precedent has been to try and ensure that there are four good strikers at the club - a necessity when playing a 4-4-2. However, as football has moved more towards a one striker system (or in United's case, a fluid interchanging front four), the striking requirements have shifted more towards having three and a half strikers - three good forwards and one more who's either a squad player or a versatile winger.

As United have hinted at moving away from a 4-4-2, the use of a fourth striker this season has been minimal, even with injuries to Rooney, Welbeck and Hernandez. Neither Berbatov nor Owen have ever had to be picked for more than two games in a row - both, arguably, are surplus to requirements. Yet, whilst Berbatov is almost certain to go, Owen should be kept on as fourth choice.

Below the first team, United have four strikers of which two/three could possibly play the fourth choice back-up role but for the sake of their development it would be completely pointless. William Keane, Joshua King, John Cofie, and Kiko Macheda (should he stay) are all at a place in their careers where they've been deemed to have out-grown Reserve football. If any of them are to stake a first team claim in the future, what they need is regular minutes at a competitive level rather than to have any development stunted by games on the bench or left out of match-day squads.

With that in mind, some kind of stop-gap fourth choice striker is needed. There's no point spending big on a player or bring in someone who'll get restless and fed up with a lack of minutes. An older, experienced player seems the best option - someone who if called upon isn't fazed by the task that may face them. With that in mind, signing Owen on for another season makes some sense (a Glazer wet-dream), unfortunately.

As ever with Owen though, his battle to stay fit is a concern. There's no point having a back-up who you may be unable to call upon for over half the season. As for whether Owen's the right type of player - well, his link-up play is better than I ever realised and he certainly takes up sensible positions. He hasn't the pace to frighten teams anymore but his finishing is certainly still good. As far as fourth choice strikers who hopefully won't have to play much and won't complain about that go, he's a sound enough choice.

So there you go. A player who shouldn't be at United and who I don't particularly want at United should probably, logically, get a new one year deal. Go figure.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1420530 2012-04-13T19:00:00-04:00 2012-06-13T05:12:01-04:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
He was of course an angry bundle of energy, enthusiasm and fearlessness aided by the fact he was a boy in the body of a slightly more mature young man. Excelling in most of the important areas that any good attacking player should, it seemed that Rooney, coupled with a move to United, was on the perfect trajectory to become a world-beater.

The problem facing Rooney was that he was doomed if he did and doomed if he didn't. His rashness and temper meant that whilst he was driven and direct on the pitch, moments of uncontrollable madness got heavily criticised. The press got on his back, criticising him for not playing maturely. And yet, the now more mature and in-control Rooney is criticised for being too sensible, allegedly the spark and unpredictability from his game his disappeared. He can't win.

Rooney's somewhat fallen victim to his own unselfishness. The fact he's so able to perform admirably in various roles has lead to inconsistent use at United over the past two seasons. As a striker, his most prolific and arguably best campaign was in 2009/10 as an out-and-out forward. That was infamously followed by a transfer request as he grew frustrated at the lack of quality joining the club. Ironically, since that somewhat awkward period, Rooney's had to fill roles that seemingly should have been filled by signings.

The damage done by the transfer request is somewhat unknown. The fans are certainly more impatient with him and maybe the staff are too. United's vociferous but accurate fanzine, Red Issue, have stated numerous times that Rooney's relationship with Fergie is more strained than it ever has been (with a recent booze-up before Christmas taking it to an all time low). Plenty of fans believe he's playing without passion and as if he doesn't really care because of all that's gone on but that may be pretty inaccurate.

Whether fans now have pre-determined opinions of Rooney because of what happened is unknown but he's been a key cog in the United machine this season. With the exception of the now more neutral Gary Neville (who dedicated a whole five minutes of TV analysis to Rooney), praise hasn't been particularly forthcoming for Rooney. Rightly so, Carrick, Evans, Valencia and others have received spurts of overwhelming positive column inches and tweets but Rooney, who's maybe been as consistent as anyone, hasn't.

It's been somewhat unfortunate for Rooney that Van Persie's had such an extraordinary season. Rooney's record in terms of goals and assists isn't far off Robin's - a goal every 109 minutes versus a goal every 106 minutes. In any other season, Rooney's record in front of goal would be competitive for the top scorer spot in the league. Despite the fact many have been penalties, all these goals have come with him playing in a predominantly deeper role, letting Welbeck and Hernandez both take the role of the main striker.

There aren't stats that conclusively depict work-rate or self-sacrifice but if there were, Rooney would be shown to be a top performer in said categories. Where touch and pass have let him down this season; tackle, block, intercept and clear have come to the fore. Non-defenders who excel in this area naturally tend not to get the credit they deserve (e.g. Carrick), the unsung heroes of the team.

Rooney's contributions in these areas become even more important when one remembers the injuries we've had the number of goals we were conceding early in the season. You could pick almost any game this season and find countless examples of Rooney making headed clearances, chasing back, making a block on the edge of the area... etc.

The game that Gary Neville was particularly keen to highlight was Everton away at the end of October - a fixture that came a month into a 12 week league goalscoring dry spell for Rooney. Asked to play very much as a midfielder, Rooney rarely ventured into Everton's penalty area, keen to hold his position in the middle of the pitch. In what was a flat performance, Rooney's tactical discipline was crucial to United getting three points.

Everton away's performance is indicative of Rooney's season; less of the attacking flair, less of the chip-shot attempts, less of the surging runs, and certainly less of the indiscipline. Whether he's become too tame or is being asked to play in a role that doesn't get the most out of him, his sacrifice for the sake of the team should not go unnoticed. Few players could completely change their game the way he's had to and still prove to be important. One can only wonder how many league goals he'd have had he not have to drop deep so many times.

The assumption with Rooney though is that he has to do something special to remind people of his talent - the overhead kick against City or a hat-trick at Bolton for example. Has he truly fulfilled the potential he once showed? Potentially, but not necessarily in the way people expected. There's no doubt he's a better and more all-rounded footballer but in the age of Ronaldo and Messi, expectations are forever high. Certainly, he's a much better player than he gets credit for but I'd be lying if I didn't admit to being a bit disappointed that he now plays as if he's had the footballing equivalent of a speed limiter put on him.

Should United go on to be crowned champions, praise will rightly go to other players before Rooney but at times, he's been as vital as anyone. Not for his goals should he be revered - other players have scored more match-winning goals than him - but for his everything else. Used in a variety of roles, he's adapted every time and performed to a consistently good standard (not that writing this after the Wigan fiasco helps his cause).

On Fergie's 'to-do' list this summer should be finding a foil for Rooney - what he's done this season is good but he's capable of better, he needs unleashing again - to score goals and not have to worry about defending. That said, I'm not convinced United fans realise how lucky we are to have someone of his quality and selflessness in our side.
]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1382075 2012-03-27T08:53:38-04:00 2012-05-27T05:12:02-04:00

Doron Salomon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doron-salomon/
Rightly so, Alex Ferguson has been questioned by fans and the press for not signing a central midfielder, let alone one who can create and entertain. With limited funds though, Fergie has chosen to strengthen the squad rather than spend big money on a guaranteed starter. After all, he knows better than anyone that it's a squad that wins titles and an individual.

And, it's likely that he'll be proven right again this year. United have been riddled with injuries and used 32 different players in the league - a real squad effort. In fact, he's so comfortable with his squad that he'll be able to afford to let a couple of players go - Berbatov, Kuszczak and probably at least one of Park or Owen will follow Gibson out the door. The one area that'll need strengthening, at fullback, seems to already have been added to with Clyne likely to join from Crystal Palace.

Evra's form has seen his future questioned but realistically there are few better left backs available in world football right now and faith in Fabio along with the surprising emergence of Fryers should provide cover. Maybe a striker could be signed to replace Berbatov but he's never been needed ths year and therefore United should be able to get away with Welbeck, Rooney, Hernandez with back up provided by any of Will Keane (a loan's probably the better option), Joshua King (impressing on loan at Hull), Macheda (another unfortunate loan going wrong) or Owen (who?).

The lack of necessity to therefore have another summer investing in the squad could mean that funds that are made available may at long last go on someone to improve the starting XI. The capitulation in Europe only serves to emphasise that it's needed - the squad is fine for the league but (and injuries and unnecessary rotation certainly didn't help) can't compete with Europe's elite, yet.

Links to Lucas Moura, Hazard and Gaitan are intriguing and certainly they fit the style of player that would excite the club and its fans. Fergie's had something of a blind-spot for central midfielders with Michael Carrick being the only successful central midfield signing since Roy Keane, nearly 20 years ago. (Unless you consider Ronny Johnsen a central midfielder). You can, to some extent, understand why Fergie may have been cautious when looking at central players. The best central midfielders cost a lot and are invariably abroad - United don't necessarily want to spend big on one player and prefer to sign players who already know the league.

Maybe more telling, has been the reluctance to move away from a 4-4-2, United's classic and favoured system. Two efficient central players, flanked by flair, creativity and pace out wide - it's a proven formula but one that doesn't allow for a free roaming creator. Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal, Inter, Barcelona and other sides all play a variation of 4-2-3-1 to allow for interchanging and roaming, creative players. However, Fergie has often been fascinated by opposition teams getting 'men between the lines' when they face United. The nature of a 4-2-3-1 means players pop up in unorthodox positions - something United witnessed closely when Bilbao dismantled them twice.

There is a lesson to be learnt. The last hefty investment in a creative foreign central midfielder didn't end well (Anderson doesn't count given he was used, to the bemusement of the Brazilian press, as a more box-to-box midfielder). Veron was unfortunately a failure; not because he was a bad player, but because Fergie was naïve and presumed he'd slot seamlessly into a very English and classic 4-4-2 system. Veron did have his moments though, particularly in Europe when a three man central midfield would often be employed. You can't necessarily change a system to accommodate just one player, but right now, United have the right personnel to try and move away from a 4-4-2.

Fergie's mismanagement of Veron means any midfield signing this summer should be met with caution but will no doubt be a big sign that he is moving the squad on. Michael Carrick, despite splitting fan's opinion until recently was a 'safe' signing, as was Hargreaves, in terms of style of play. A new, dynamic United has been witnessed in patches this season though - at the start of the campaign it was built around Cleverley; and more recently the interchanging front trio of Welbeck, Rooney and Hernandez.

One could certainly argue that a new United can be built on the talent coming through - Pogba's been involved lately and others are impressing out on loan and at Reserve level. Cleverley's unfairly expected to be a revelation but has been predominately injured. Anderson may be given one more year but can no longer be trusted to stay fit whilst Scholes may and should be kept on for another seaon. Carrick has been an ever present and Giggs can still positively contribute. Fletcher's targeting a return, although no hopes should be pinned on him. So why sign another central player?

Given how often a player has had to play out of position and cover in the middle, there is probably a necessity for one more midfielder, but not just a squad player - someone who can scare opponents. A player who can run with the ball, beat men, play the right 'Hollywood pass', and enable United to play a 4-2-3-1 with ease. Competition often brings the best out of players so someone like Anderson may even rise to the challenge and become a better player too.

Maybe more importantly for the team, it needs to be someone who Rooney trusts. Too often he's found dropping deep, not just because he wants time on the ball, but because he's frustrated due to his lack of service and wants to try to make things happen. With the right player behind him doing that job, there'd be no need for him to join the midfield and he can play as a proper striker - arguably his best position. Rooney's finishing is somewhat underrated because he's such an all rounder but as we've seen this season and saw two years ago, when playing as a striker, he's guaranteeing you close to 25 league goals.

The identity of this ideal signing is unknown. Modric may well be the choice of the fans but Spurs' stance is that he's not for sale and given that United have never bid for him before, it seems as though he'd be an unlikely mover. United are reported to have a first option agreement with Benfica for Gaitan, something sources inside the club have confirmed (despite The Times denying this is true). Hazard has allegedly been watched but then no one's sure because it may have been a different player in the same game who was getting Ferguson's attention. Lucas Moura has been linked for a while but it's thought the Spanish giants like him too. As we know, identifying and then buying this kind of talent is not easy, especially when funds may be limited.

With United hopefully closing in on another title, it's been a victorious season for the squad and proof to Fergie that this group of players are good enough for the league. Taking them up a step in Europe though needs someone special and this may well be the best chance he's had in a while to not only finally buy a top class central midfielder, but take the team both in quality and system to the next level.]]>