Attack sells tickets, defence wins titles. That is a
re-working of an old American sports saying because nobody on this side of the
Atlantic can say “offence” without scoffing.
United under Sir Alex have been built on defence. The
surging, surgical strikes of the ’94 side were backboned by the most resolute
of back fives. Their names were in bold, carved in stone. Schmichael. Parker.
Bruce. Pallister. Irwin. They were a
comfort blanket when you scanned the team sheet.
Any successful back four needs to know each other inside
out. Van der Saar. Brown. Ferdinand. Vidic. Evra. Fergie chopped and changed
plenty on the way to Moscow but that back five was set. There is a collective
understanding that develops throughout a season when the defence settles. Runs
are covered, calls are understood, and little nuanced movements are immediately
accounted for.
This season’s vintage have never come close to developing
that kind of telepathic understanding. Injuries have destroyed any fledgling
centre-back relationship’s while for a good while now we have treated
right-back as a hole to be filled.
The loss of Vidic was a savage blow. Rating players on a
world stage is mostly a waste of time but any list of the world’s best
centre-backs would have to include the Serbian. Perhaps he wouldn’t be the all
conquering general in Spain where his footwork might be tested more, but in
England, as a penalty box defender of committed intelligence, he has no equal.
The season long injury deprived us of our voice and leader
at the back. Vidic was always the steel to Ferdinand’s silk and the steel was
needed more than ever this season with a new goalkeeper being ushered in to
replace the safest of hands.
The goalkeeper is the new wedge driven between United fans.
You are either De Gea or Lindegaard. Nail your colours to the mast now because
there is no middle ground here. The Spaniard has undoubtedly suffered
physically with the volley and thunder of crosses raining down on him. That was
to be expected, more so when you consider he hardly ever had Vidic or Ferdinand
in front of him, never mind the two of them.
The raw gifts shown off so spectacularly at home to
Newcastle and away to Chelsea hint at a special keeper on the cusp of
developing. Some have questioned his temperament, his lack of character. You
know, he’s not “barmy” like every keeper. Because Edwin was a nutter wasn’t he?
“I don’t tremble” was a quote I remembered our No: 1 saying in a summer interview.
That will do. I don’t rate the Dane by the way.
It’s been a season defined by youth in the defence. Phil
Jones arrived with a big reputation and then somehow enhanced it with his early
performances, leading some to compare him with Duncan Edwards and Roy Keane. It
was hard to not get carried away. The boy just careered through challenges and
effortlessly met any new demands made of him. Then came something of a slump.
The constant rotation of his starting positions won’t help
his development as a centre-half. Is that his position though? When you see him
stride through midfield and his composure when getting chances to shoot, you
wonder if he is the lung-busting player United have missed since Keane. A
decision needs to be made there before we see him in goals at Spurs.
There is no disputing where Chris Smalling should play and
it isn’t right back. He has sustained his excellent level from last season and
is emerging as a defender of real stature. The next stage of his development
will hopefully see him boss the back four.
Jonny Evans has seen his stock dramatically rise with reds
from outright distain to murmured appreciation. He looks as if he believes he
belongs in the United team at the moment and it’s heartening to see.
Right-back remains an issue but it won’t be if Rafael stays
fit. He spoke recently in an interview of learning to time his challenges
better. He was told that the yellow cards would have to stop. Much like De Gea
and crosses, this will fade and a gem of a right back will develop. He can do
everything and as witnessed whenever he plays at Anfield he has the balls to
back it up. His brother isn’t half bad either. If only he was left-footed
because our current left-back often forgets he is playing left-back.
In a constant state of injured flux, United’s defence has by
and large, coped admirably. Young players of enormous talent continue to
develop while a title bid is sustained. Some silly goals have been conceded by
that youthful talent but not enough to de-rail us yet. The back five might not
be the comfort blanket yet but if they seal 20, their names will be set in
stone.
This article first appeared in Red News fanzine.
