English Premier League: Manchester United’s defensive woes
Manchester United have not started the new Premier League season in an emphatic fashion. In their opening six games they have already conceded 9 goals and if they keep on going like this they will end up conceding 57 goals. That
is a tally that certainly cannot be associated with a team that is looking to challenge for the title.
United conceded 28 goals in 38 games last season, but this season their defense has let them down miserably. Rio Ferdinand is out injured, O’Shea is only a make shift right back, Patrice Evra is not even a shade of himself since
he has come back from the World Cup and with regards to Johnny Evans, the less said the better.
Manchester United have thrown two games away this season already. Once against Fulham; they conceded in injury time when Hangeland equalized for the Londoners and then just a week later they conceded a two goal advantage to Everton
in injury time with goals from Arteta and Cahill.
This is not looking like the Manchester United of previous years which used to be so imperious in defense; three wins and three draws from six matches is not a viable record for a team that is looking to win the league.
If United are to challenge Chelsea for the title they have to cork their leaking defense and that too quite soon.
The sentiment is shared by United’s only defender who has looked good this season - Nemanja Vidic. Vidic has told his fellow players that their team has to curb the defensive lapses that are wrecking the campaign for them this
season.
Unexpected defeats for Chelsea and Arsenal on Saturday gave United the perfect opportunity to cut the lead at the top and get the initiative back but they blew that opportunity spectacularly.
In the Bolton game it was a combination of pathetic marking by Johnny Evans and Evra leaving his position on the goal post that lead to the opening goal of the game by Zat Knight.
Nani however managed to pull United level with a spectacular individual goal, but United’s defense erred again when Petrov was given acres of space inside the 18 yard box and his shot deflected off Fletcher into the goal.
Michael Owen spared United’s blushes when he scored from a Nani free kick and saved United from the humiliation of losing their first game of the season.
Although Owen’s goal made sure that United would not return from the short trip down the M61 empty handed, the fact of the matter is that they have now conceded 9 goals in 6 matches and that’s 1.5 goals a game. Even rock bottom
Everton have conceded less than that.
It is hard to believe that it was the same set of defenders that were so miserly in previous seasons, conceding only 22 and 24 goals in the 2008 and 2009 campaigns.
Perhaps it’s the absence of Rio Ferdinand which is costing United dear at the moment, but for a team of United’s stature the absence of one man should not hamper their team performance to such an extent.
Ferdinand is back in training and is increasingly close to first team action, but he too will take time in settling in after his injury woes and if United keep on messing up the way they are then they can bid farewell to their
title challenge.
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