Case for the defence.

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.