It seems like the criteria for being a Manchester United goalkeeper is not just how good you are in between the sticks, but also how good you are at pulling gorgeous women! We have previously featured David de Gea and his WAG Edurne García Almagro and now Anders Lindegaard’s other half Missé Beqiri takes centre stage.
Missé Beqiri is a Swedish model who doesn’t seem to be a big fan of clothing. The 24-year-old is actually Albanian-born but has resided in Malmo, so it’s easy for her to get the train to Lindegaard’s homeland, Denmark. Misse not only models, she even has her own blog and is quite a wordsmith.
Rumours of the pair hooking up emerged on Facebook, as Misse replied to Anders’ brag that he had the best girlfriend in the world by saying: “as good as it gets”. The pair also follow each other on Twitter, where Bequiri’s bio states: “it’s simple”. As is viewing the Missé Beqiri WAG Gallery.
Click on Misse Bequiri below to see her WAG Gallery
What a perfect week it has been, a trip to Wembley to look forward to and a pretty easy derby away win? That’s what we do.
Let’s be honest I didn’t think we’d have much chance at Blackburn in the replay, yes we played well and deserved to win, but I thought “That’s it, we’re out”. Didn’t exactly happen like that…
Danny Shittu, you are slowly becoming a legend. His goal just before half time secured a semi final against Wigan and a third trip to Wembley in four years, a goal and an absolute rock at the back, nothing was getting past him.
‘Wall was the superior team over two games but I really expected more from Blackburn. They were poor, really poor. The tactics from Michael Appleton were inept, hitting the long ball, Danny Shittu vs. Jordan Rhodes in the air, only one winner. This turned out to be Appleton’s second to last game, as he was sacked yesterday.
Now the Lions fans are looking forward to their Wembley day out, we all said at the start of the season we would take a decent league position and a cup run. Looks like we’ll get it.
And when it looked like it couldn’t get any better for ‘Wall it did, with a 2-0 derby day win away at Charlton. Well that’s what usually happens when Charlton play ‘Wall… A ‘Wall win.
Most fans were expecting maybe a somewhat poor performance as the players may have one eye on Wembley, and not wanting to get injured or suspended.
This wasn’t the best game on a very bad pitch, like something you’d find up Hackney Marshes, whoever scored the first goal, was most likely to win it.
And that turned out to be Millwall with Jermaine Easter with his first touch in a Millwall shirt. I couldn’t see the reason behind signing Easter from Crystal Palace on loan, but goals like that will change my mind.
And then came a absolute belter from Shane Lowry from 30 yards out. A screamer of a free kick from you’re left back, very unusual, well unless your Gareth Bale. Well let me say, Gareth would be very proud to have scored this.
This weekend highlights how crazy the Championship is. Any of 12 teams could steal be relegated into League One, and it seems one or two big teams will be heading through the trap door, but the big day out against Wigan will be a nice distraction.
Hopefully this cup run will have a positive effect on the team, KJ has already said anyone not pulling their weight in the team will be dropped, so it seems a few places at Wembley will be up for grabs, hopefully this will see the team rise up the table.
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Que Sara Sara, whatever will be will be, were going to Wembley, Que Sara Sara.
Manchester United’s Premier League title win proved that there was a lot of discussion and hysteria over nothing. Those who knew how talented David de Gea was from his days at Atletico Madrid always saw a title-winning goalkeeper in the making. In England, they were quick to shoot him down when the opportunity arose. But the turn of this calendar year proved once again that Alex Ferguson got it right with his investment in one of Europe’s most talented goalkeepers.
It doesn’t change too much, however. De Gea is sure to be one of two or three goalkeepers battling for the Spanish No 1 shirt when the time is right, but the day isn’t won yet. The youngster is still susceptible to mistakes at his age, and the wise move would be for United to bring in a veteran this summer to act as a reliever across four fronts.
And much of the same can be said about Arsenal. It many ways, both clubs are in the same boat in wanting to develop young goalkeeping talents for the long term.
Wojciech Szczesny was taken out of the firing line in March following a string of poor performances and the belief that his concentration was shaken. Lukas Fabianski came in and offered the Arsenal No 1 a taste of what it’s like to be rightly benched when standards are not met. After so many years of Arsene Wenger just making do with what he has in goal, the manager has finally found a solution to help bring the best out of Szczesny.
One of the highlights of Szczesny’s recent performances in goal was the save at Loftus Road against Loic Remy, diving to his left to tip the curling shot round the post. It was a save the keeper might not have made earlier in the season, and one that has gone a long way to keeping Arsenal well in the face for a top four spot.
It also said a lot about Szczesny that a save like that came up after so long without much in the way of shots on goal from QPR. It’s incredibly easy for players, especially younger, inexperienced players to lose focus and allow saveable shots to bundle past them. On that occasion, the Polish international looked like a player suited for a top Premier League club.
David de Gea’s emergence from the criticism has been far more emphatic, though. Here was a player who often conveys a shy, introverted personality coming to the fore when United desperately needed some stability in goal. Forget the issues about coming from crosses and taking charge of the penalty area, de Gea needed to be the focused and reliable last line of defence in a noticeably unspectacular United team. It’s a team who had to deal with the veteran centre-back pairing being broken up due to injuries or age while still fighting for dominance in English football. The transfer fee involved and the expectation to properly succeed Edwin van der Sar shows just how far de Gea has come.
You’d like to see more of the same of what has been some of the highlights of both de Gea and Szczesny’s season. Both are supremely talented individuals and have all the makings of becoming top tier European goalkeepers alongside prominent names such as Manuel Neuer. But where inconsistencies or fragile minds may dent rapid progress, the presence of a veteran goalkeeper who has been there and done it can be invaluable. It’s not just about both United and Arsenal (although Arsenal are in a far more needing situation) securing the short term, but also ensuring that the goalkeeping position is safe and well-guarded for many years to come.
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For Arsenal especially, there is a tendency to become lazy and content with what they have. Wenger has always been about offering younger players opportunities if he believed them to be just about good enough. But for too long we’ve seen how detrimental that mentality can be. This hasn’t been a full awakening for Szczesny, and much more work will need to go into proving he is the best player for the club.
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is set to axe at least 12 players from his squad this summer as he looks to rebuild for next season according to The Times.
Mancini is not happy with a number of players’ effort levels this season as the Citizens surrendered their Premier League crown to their nearest and dearest without so much as a fight.
Equally poor performances and results in the Champions League has taught the Italian boss a thing or two about a number of his players and he won’t be pulling any punches when it comes to letting players go.
Samir Nasri, Edin Dzeko, Scott Sinclair, Jack Rodwell and Alexander Kolarov are among the dozen players that Mancini is looking to move on in order to bring in fresh blood to make a fist of success next season.
Uruguayan Edinson Cavani is top of City’s wish list to replace the departing players and reports suggest a deal could be on the verge of completion.
The new FFP rules will prevent City from a 2011-esque spending spree but an overhaul of the squad is just the start of the Etihad club’s long term plans.
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Let’s chalk this one off as pure speculation, because if it were true, Real Madrid need to take a long walk and think about what they’re doing. Actually, that can be applied to Tottenham, too. Daniel Levy has maintained that Gareth Bale is not for sale at any price, even the reported £85 million – a figure that sprung up this past weekend. At that price, Tottenham would be insane to turn it down.
I get it, Tottenham are trying to maintain a reputation against the ‘bullies’ in European football. Levy wouldn’t want to shake from his position, even when it’s Real Madrid at the other end of the line. But in what world could any club turn down £85 million and come off looking like the lesser of two teams?
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The biggest point from all this is that Gareth Bale isn’t worth £85million. To Tottenham, yes, he’s worth probably double that. But a club’s own value and need for a player doesn’t always translate to the market. Is it worth bringing up the discussion as to whether Bale is an equal to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi? It’s been done to death at this point.
A big team from the Premier League could call Swansea this summer and demand to know their value of Michu. “£30 million,” they’d probably reply. Ok, fair enough. He scored bags of goals and helped them win the League Cup. On the open market, however, and in terms of everyone else’s value, he’s simply not worth that.
Gareth Bale has more than carried Tottenham this season, only enhancing his reputation in England and further promoting his talent as either a rising star or a readymade superstar, depending on who you ask. This isn’t to debunk his qualities, as even regular English pundits have him down as the complete package in world football, with some even daring to suggest that he’s better than Ronaldo. There’s something about Bale doing in it a lesser team that seems to legitimise that argument.
It shouldn’t matter what Tottenham’s plans are for the immediate future with Bale, because if Real Madrid or any other team offer a figure in or around £85 million, you tear their hand off and take it. Does that mean Tottenham will have lost the war? No, in fact they’ve probably won it. Because at no other point will another bid close to that number come in, largely because, as I’m suggesting, he isn’t worth it.
So where do Tottenham go from there? Actually maybe it should be where do Real Madrid go from here.
A bid of £40million could reportedly get you Luis Suarez. Depending on what your stance is, some would say Suarez had the better season, regardless of personal awards. What about players in the mould of Mesut Ozil? In that title-winning season with Madrid, Ozil bagged 20 assists in all competitions and set himself up as one of the team’s most important players. He arrived for £15million from Werder Bremen; his contract situation is irrelevant. Marco Reus joined Dortmund for €17million last summer and contributed in 22 goals this season to Bale’s 25 (goals and assists). Then there are names like Edinson Cavani, Robert Lewandowski, Mario Gotze, James Rodriguez, who have either gone or could go for far less than £85million. Again, depending on who you ask, some of those names are better than Bale.
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So about Tottenham. With numbers so ridiculous that there can be only one answer, the matter is open as to whether Spurs want to be a team who rely heavily on one player or a team who have three or four game changers who could comfortably replace and outdo the contributions of Bale. The argument about Champions League football could come up, but James Rodriguez, Cavani and Radamel Falcao won’t or haven’t be involved in the Champions League this season or next season. With that sort of money, this Tottenham team can be transformed in the way some of the bigger teams in Europe have been, but obviously with a calculated approach and the knowledge that there isn’t a bottomless pit of cash.
Throwing around transfer figures like that, as they have been in the Spanish press, just reaffirms Real Madrid’s absolute desire in capturing Bale. It was much easier to assume that the La Liga club would never reach a fee so lofty for Bale, as other than Ronaldo, there is enough evidence to show that the selling club doesn’t always get what they want. But if this is what it’s come to – and you really have to hope football hasn’t gone this mad – then Tottenham simply need to cut ties and accept what is a once-in-a-lifetime offer.
Stoke’s hopes of securing a January deal for long-term target Mame Biram Diouf have been dealt a blow, with Hannover confident of extending the striker’s stay in Germany.
The Potters tracked the ex-Manchester United man for much of the summer, but were unable to tie up a deal for his signature.
Despite having secured a number of new arrivals since taking control at the Britannia Stadium, new manager Mark Hughes is still thought to be keen to bolster his options.
Diouf – whose current contract expires at the end of the season – was still thought to be on the former Manchester City coach’s radar ahead of a potential move once the transfer window reopens.
However, Hannover sporting director Dirk Dufner has ruled out selling the 25-year-old and is hoping to tie him down to a new contract soon:
“Mame has said he is comfortable here in Hannover and we want to make him understand that we place great emphasis on him and believe in his quality,” he is quoted by talkSPORT.
“Our goal is to keep the player and possibly extend his contract.”
Diouf was unable to make an impact on the first-team at Manchester United, but has blossom in Germany.
A return of 20 Bundesliga goals since his arrival in 2012 has seen him develop a reputation as one of the division’s top marksmen.
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The biggest concern for Manchester United fans this season, barring fears over a disturbingly slow start to their Premier League title defence campaign under David Moyes, has been a lack of creativity in the middle of the park.
It seems to be a worry shared by the successor to Sir Alex Ferguson, who spent the summer chasing after the likes of Luka Modric, Cesc Fabregas and Ander Herrera to no avail as he seeks a long-term replacement for playmaking maestro Paul Scholes.
And indeed, it’s hard to argue that United haven’t missed the retired midfielder in the early stages of the season – unlocking opposition defences via the ball has been the Red Devils’ biggest curse going forward.
But amid all this talk of whether the Premier League champions should have gone for Mesut Ozil, bidded more for Herrera or left Marouane Fellaini at Everton, I believe Manchester United’s biggest creative flaw has been disturbingly overlooked.
Throughout Sir Alex Ferguson’s prestigious tenure at Old Trafford, his sides, that he continually designed, deconstructed, recycled and renewed over his 27 year spell, have always been trademarked by world-class wide men. Over the years, the Red Devils have possessed an illustrious cast of wingers, including the likes of Bryan Robson, Andrei Kanchelskis, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.
But taking a look at the Red Devils’ current batch of wide men – most notably, Luis Nani, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young – and quite frankly, they just don’t cut the mustard.
Valencia was once a seven-goal per season man, by no means a prolific total but thoroughly backed-up by his undying energy, work-rate and defensive contribution. Now however, he looks more like a right-back than a right-winger, being incredibly uncomfortable on the ball and rarely putting his speed and stamina to good use going forward.
Ashley Young’s Manchester United career can be annotated best by the amount of penalties he wins – or at least tries to win – per season, which by now must undoubtedly outweigh his goal tally of just eight in the space of three years; a disturbing deviation from his nine-per-year average at Aston Villa, which earned him an £18millon move to Old Trafford in 2011.
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And amid all the confusion in the last 12 months over whether Nani should be staying with the Red Devils or thrown on the transfer scrap-heap, which has seen him make just 11 Premier League starts over the course of the last two seasons, the Portuguese has become a shadow of his former self. Prior to the winger’s regular exclusion during Ferguson’s final campaign, he had reached double figures for two consecutive seasons, so it’s understandable that Nani’s confidence, and subsequently his performances, have been at an all time low from summer 2012 onwards.
United’s back-up options aren’t much to write home about either. The occasional inclusion of Ryan Giggs based on his prestige, reputation and experience, often serves as much as a burden as it does an asset. We haven’t seen the unblooded Wilfried Zaha at all since he officially arrived at Old Trafford in the summer, and for whatever reason, David Moyes is simply not interested in the potentially world-class services of Shinji Kagawa.
Granted, the Premier League has moved on since the good old days of 4-4-2, where established quality on the flanks was essential for any outfit who considered themselves as title contenders. Even at Manchester United, where wingers have continually underpinned their successes over the years, the impetus has recently transitioned to the creative efforts of Wayne Rooney in a central role at the tip of midfield, as well as the control of possession by Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes in the middle of the park.
But for all of the United icon’s world-class quality on the ball, he made just 17 Premier League appearances last season, with very few coming in heavyweight encounters, and the Red Devils still strolled their way to the English title. Similarly, Carrick was amongst Europe’s most successful forward passers last year, statistically at least, and still remains an integral figure in United’s first XI.
At the same time, wide play is an integral part of the Red Devils’ typically English identity, that should be embraced and used positively rather than shied away from. Just look at the pivotal impact teenage prodigy Adnan Januzaj had from the left flank at the weekend, by recording a stunning brace against Sunderland that proved to be the determining factor in United claiming all three points.
That’s the difference a winger of the highest quality could make at Old Trafford, and despite all the furore over whether or not Marouane Fellaini solves Manchester United’s long-term issues in the middle of the park, I’d suggest David Moyes turns his attentions to sourcing a world-class wide man in January.
Admittedly, prolific wingers are hardly in hot supply, although at this point it’s worth pondering why the Red Devils never entertained the prospect of making a formal bid for the talismanic Gareth Bale, who not only fits the United mould but would also have undoubtedly tipped the odds of retaining the Premier League title in their favour through his individual influence.
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But there are still some out there, Real Madrid’s Angel Di Maria for example, who could be searching for a new home in the next transfer window if he sees his playing time reduced in favour of Los Blancos’ new £86million man. Wesley Sneijder is also a highly versatile and readily available option, having reportedly been on the hunt for pastures new in the summer despite only joining Galatasaray in January.
Either way, it’s time to address Manchester United’s lack of creativity in the middle of the park as an issue for the whole midfield department, not just those who operate in central roles. Talent on the flanks has been the Red Devils’ biggest asset over the years, and a major contributor in their continual success. Now however, it’s become their most intrinsic flaw, and one Moyes needs to arrest in the next transfer window.
Are Manchester United’s wingers to blame for their lack of creativity?
Tim Sherwood doesn’t strike as the kind of manager (or man in football) who would take in the Basque derby or raise a discussion about the positives of Paco Jemez’s managerial principles amid Rayo Vallecano’s struggles this season.
It fits the narrative that the pundits, managers and journalists based in this country – though notably not all – rely on a drip, drip feed of information from the continent based on Champions League games and England internationals.
Could Andy Townsend or Jamie Redknapp have explained to those unaware why Newcastle had bought Yohan Cabaye when they did, why he was arguably more important than Eden Hazard in Lille’s title-winning season, and why Newcastle had landed a phenomenal bargain when they signed him? Probably not.
Etienne Capoue is right to feel aggrieved at having been left on the fringes of Tottenham’s team upon his return from injury. One, it speaks of Tottenham’s organisation and lack of clear thinking in buying players of Capoue’s type, only to ignore their contributions when they could have been of some use. And two, it speaks of Sherwood’s lack of knowledge about the player prior to taking on the job as Spurs manager. At least that’s the midfielder’s take on the situation.
But if there is a problem that needs to be resolved, it would make sense for the player to have a discussion with the manager about his position and likelihood of further minutes for the remainder of the season. There is a problem with the lack of knowledge in England about what goes on abroad, but it isn’t such a stumbling block that Capoue can’t get his season back on track at Tottenham.
It’s difficult to come to the conclusion that Capoue hasn’t been good enough, falling alongside a few who have failed to make an impression since arriving at White Hart Lane during the summer. The Frenchman has started one game under Sherwood; one since he played at centre-back where he and Tottenham were horribly exposed by Liverpool. But he was clearly a good player in France as a midfielder and Napoli see some value in him too, almost certainly to strengthen their midfield.
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Capoue’s frustration is more than understandable: he wants to play at the World Cup. Had he still been at Toulouse or secured a move away during the January window – Napoli would have been a good move for him – he would have been able to take responsibility for his own chance of being part of France’s squad in the summer. The current situation does beg the question as to why Spurs bought him when they did.
The January transfer window was an incredibly frustrating month for Liverpool fans, and Brendan Rodgers too.
The Reds were thought to be on the verge of signing highly-rated FC Basel winger Mohamed Salah -in fact, his Anfield move was alleged as complete as early as the 7th of January by some areas of the African media – but the Egyptian ace’s transfer was hi-jacked in its latter stages by Premier League foes Chelsea.
Ian Ayre then hopped on the first plane to Ukraine to source Dnipro’s Yevhen Konoplyanka as a direct replacement, but after three days of ‘unbelievably complex’ negotiations, returned to Merseyside empty-handed.
How the Salah deal broke down, which was undoubtedly planned as the jewel signing in Liverpool’s January crown, is still open to interpretation. Rodgers has hinted that financial boundaries got in the way, whilst Ayre has claimed Salah always had his sights set on Stamford Bridge.
But essentially, the question of ‘how’ doesn’t really matter. The question Liverpool fans are asking is why the club has now gone four transfer windows with Brendan Rodgers at the helm without securing a single marquee signing.
It’s not an issue of quality as such. Oliver Smith, a contributor to ThisisAnfield.com, analysed the Merseyside club’s summer transfer escapades as ‘No Marquee signings, but Brendan Rodgers still gets a B+’.
I’d certainly subscribe to that grading to some extent. Big names may have been absent, but Simon Mignolet’s consistent performances since joining Liverpool in a £9million deal at the start of the season have provided a refreshing and much-welcomed change from the mercurial services of Pepe Reina. And Mamadou Sakho, at just 23 years of age and having already served as PSG captain, was clearly a great deal at just £15million.
But at the same time, all of Brendan Rodgers’ priority summer targets politely snubbed the opportunity to join his Anfield cast. Brazilian youngster Bernard joined Shaktar Donetsk for €25million, Willian made his way to Chelsea via a medical with Tottenham in a £32million deal, Diego Costa opted to stay with Atletico Madrid despite the Reds being more than prepared to meet his release clause, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan provided the most telling blow, informing; “Liverpool have a great past, but Borussia Dortmund has a great present,” following his £24million move to the Bundesliga.
Track back twelve months to Rodgers’ first window as Liverpool manager, and he lost out on both Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson to top four rivals Tottenham.
At this point, the Reds’ inability to land major targets, regardless of their fees or value, is becoming a syndrome that now must be remedied in the summer. Failing to do so, the negative after effects could be enormous for the Merseyside club, and Brendan Rodgers’ tenure.
The first cause for concern is the fate of Luis Suarez. Whether he remains a Liverpool player at the start of next season is yet to be seen – there’s a high chance that a positive showing for Uruguay at the 2014 World Cup will convince one of the 26 year-old’s many suitors to big bid for his services.
Should he leave, the Kop icon will most certainly need replacing. Admittedly, that could unlock the financial door to allow Rodgers to make the first stellar purchase of his Liverpool era.
Should he stay however, the only way to persuade Suarez to further prolong his tenure will be to find players that can come close to the Uruguayan’s immense quality, and rival his talismanic influence on Merseyside. Playing alongside the likes of Mkhitaryan, Willian, Bernard and Costa, or even Salah or Konoplyanka, is a project that would have undoubtedly excited and captivated the Premier League’s leading goal scorer.
In the long-term too, if we can assume the Uruguay international won’t spend his entire career at Anfield, having a player already on the roster who can mimic his vitality would automatically soften the blow of his departure. The same can be said for when Steven Gerrard eventually hangs up his boots.
At the same time, Brendan Rodgers must question what his baron spell at the top end of the transfer market says about him as a manager. No one is doubting the Ulsterman’s ability; setting the foundations of youth and a refreshed optimism, he’s done a fantastic job of getting the Anfield house in order over the last 18 months and moving the club back towards its former glories.
But just as many doubted David Moyes was capable of attracting household names at Manchester United until his £37million capture of Juan Mata, question marks will remain over Rodgers’ head unless he can break Liverpool’s big spending duck.
The problem is that the cycle can become incredibly self-fulfilling. Arsenal for example, spent almost a decade in dormancy from the Premier League title race, in no small way linked to the fact Arsene Wenger’s £14million purchase of Sylvain Wiltord in 2000 remained the club’s record signing for the next eight and a half years.
If you need evidence of the powers of a marquee buy, just look at the almighty uplift £42million signing Mesut Ozil has had on the Gunners camp this year, as they continue to hold pole position in the English table.
More than anything else, it’s purely the statement a £30million-£40million Liverpool signing would make to the rest of the top flight (providing it’s not another Andy Carroll).
Captures such as Simon Mignolet, Mamadou Sakho and, spanning back to January 2013, Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge, none arriving for more than £15million or being older than 25 years of age upon their signing, suggest a rebuilding process, a consolidation period, a sensible approach in the transfer market for a club looking to stabilise itself. That’s by no means a bad thing.
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But when the big bucks are spent, it implies a club moving forward, confident and ambitious enough to take the risks required to reach the next level, whether that be a permanent residency in the Premier League’s top four or a movement into the title race. Furthermore, just as Liverpool’s marquee baron has become self-fulfilling, one major signing will pave the way for others to follow suit.
As always in the Premier League, the biggest danger for Liverpool remains being left behind. No one expects them to match the financial power of Manchester United, City or Chelsea, but even the penny-pinching Arsene Wenger has got in on the marquee game, and Tottenham broke their transfer record fee three times in the summer window alone. Local rivals Everton also have plans to make a permanent offer for Romelu Lukaku at the end of the season, which is the kind of acquisition that could dramatically propel the club forwards.
It seems absurd to suggest Brendan Rodgers has now progressed through four transfer windows at the Anfield helm without signing a player for more than £15million. Compared to the Damian Comolli era, to many on Merseyside it will be a welcome change.
But the rebuilding process is over and now it’s time for the club to announce their re-arrival at the upper echelons of the Premier League table. To fulfil that aim however, and for Brendan Rodgers to prove he’s the man to take Liverpool there, a marquee signing is a must in the summer.
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Today was always going to be about David Moyes and to be honest; I am starting to feel a bit sorry for him now.The task to continue United’s success after Sir Alex was always going to be tough but nobody thought it would be this hard.Team selection is often scrutinised but it has been even more so at Old Trafford this season and to be honest, I can see why.Chopping and changing your side is a dangerous ploy, even more so when you clearly don’t have the strength in depth to do so like Moyes.Players at the top of their game should be able to play three games in a week, so I’m not buying the resting of key players. Here is why Moyes needs to find his best team and stick to it.
Defensive partnerships
Captain Nemanja Vidic is leaving at the end of the season, at the first glance of things getting tough.
Rio Ferdinand can only play once a week at most so the pressure is on the likes of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling to step up now.
Michael Carrick played at centre half last week at West Ham and United didn’t have a defender on the bench today.
Trusting the future stars
It has been all too easy for David Moyes to give the nod to Ashley Young, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra this season when to be honest – he shouldn’t have.
One of Sir Alex’s many fantastic attributes was his ability to blend youth and experience for crucial games and he wasn’t afraid to throw them in.
Adnan Januzaj has been excellent when he has played this season but Moyes seems to ignore the youngster – as well as refusing to even give Wilfried Zaha and Michael Keane a chance.
Stick to a midfield shape
With the addition of Juan Mata in January, David Moyes is now, understandably, doing all he can to fit the Spaniard into his side.
However, sacrificing his entire shape to fit Mata, Wayne Rooney and van Persie in has simply not worked and so he needs to find the partnership and soon.
Sticking to a system and tactic will only help the players find their own consistency and surely Moyes has to take that on board.
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