Adam Dennehey WAFU manager
Over the last couple of months we have heard from a whole stack of past and current Manchester United players about just how hard it will be to replace Paul Scholes – although that of course is not something that our fans would not be aware of.
Sir Alex Ferguson has also spoken about just how hard it will be to replace our former midfielder and yesterday claimed that it will be hard to sign Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder who we have been heavily linked with over the last 18 months.
Some fans doubt that Fergie’s admission that it be hard to sign the Dutchman could well be a ploy that we will sign him, as it’s certainly a change in his stance from a couple of weeks ago where he denied any knowledge of us attempting to sign him.
Regardless of that, there is the feeling that we haven’t heard the last of the Sneijder ‘will it happen’ rumour this summer. There is no doubt that it will still be a leading story across the media for the next fortnight or so.
Whilst it may look unlikely that we will bring in anyone to replace Scholes, as ideally you get the feeling that Sir Alex and the club will want to do a deal before the season starts rather than have to rush through a deal in the final days of the transfer window.
Michael Carrick in a webchat with manutd.com spoke about how our players need to share the work-load now as a result of losing Scholes:
“Losing a player like Paul is a loss – he brings so much to the team,” Carrick said.
“He was a world-class player, so you have to compensate in other ways. We have done that in the past – we lost Cristiano Ronaldo a few years ago and people didn’t think we’d get over it. But different players step up – maybe it is not one player but we share the responsibility.”
Carrick’s point about the team adapting after the departure of Ronaldo to Real Madrid back in 2009 is certainly an interesting one. Of course whilst ‘twinkle-toes’ was clearly the star of our team in his final 2-3 seasons at the club, there’s no doubt that the team relied heavily on others in order for him to score and create so many goals.
However of course in those seasons his form was pivotal to our success and the team did have to play a certain way to bring out the best in him which of course would be to the benefit of the team.
Of course after his departure the team did play a different way which allowed Wayne Rooney to be the focal point of our attack and of course two seasons ago (until his injury in the final stages of the season) he was at times unstoppable for us.
Losing the experience and mentality of Scholes will obviously hurt us, but in all honesty when it really comes down to it I don’t think we will miss Scholes that much next season.
Amongst all the wonderful tributes that have been said about our former midfielder, it’s easy to forget that his form (which has always been great) dipped and certainly last season he was not a player who was pivotal to our success.
It will though be important to bring in someone in if Sir Alex is able to. Whilst of course it will be hard to replace Scholes’ legacy at the club, there’s no doubt that there are midfielders available who can certainly replace the Scholes of last season and do a more than good-enough job in our midfield.
At United though we will always be looking for that world-class players though and of course in terms of creative central midfielders there are not too many about that come to mind who we would be able to bring in.
Perhaps the ideal player for us though isn’t Sneijder but another playmaker who starred at last year’s World Cup in South Africa – Real Madrid’s Mesut Ozil who has a huge future ahead of him.
Ozil seemingly has it all and his form in Spain last season after his move from Werder Bremen was sensational and even had Kaka not been injured for large chunks of the season it’s highly unlikely that the former World Cup winner would have got a look in ahead of the German.
It’s just a shame that he’s loving life in Madrid at the moment and in any case Jose Mourinho wouldn’t want to sell him. Perhaps though should Mourinho replace Sir Alex in the near future perhaps he would take Ozil to Old Trafford with him. Or is that just wishful thinking?
By @ADennehey87
Your headline doesn't match your article, as you haven't bothered to explore any issues raised by your comment, ie who or how? or argued the points, just a lazy worthless article.
You've mentioned Carrick's pathetic comments, he should be the last one talking about “everyone needs to raise their game”. Maybe him and his admirers are happy with his 3 yard sideways pass, after HE was bought to replace Scholes ! So much for his creativity, he's been dropped to defend the back four.
MU doesn't have the creativity of Barca, where each MF can defend, attack, hold the ball and have trust in any player they pass to. They play as a unit. If SAF want to challenge Barca then this needs to be addressed. IF MU and SAF and SOME fans think that this current team can cope without a creative MF then we are ALL in for another master class by Barca, as they add players such as Fabregas, Sanchez etc, MU are once again depending on the likes of Carrick, Fletcher, Park, Anderson and perhaps Young to replace Scholes ? Would any of the mentioned get into the Barca MF? How many of the Barca MF would get into MU? The Barca MF are in the top 20 best paid footballers in world, doesn't that say something? If it's 20k or 30k a week stopping Sneijder from joining MU, or perhaps the fear of Rooney crying for more money, then it's about time MU restructure it's wage policy. It's great if a player like Young WANTS to come to MU to win trophies and not be tempted by more money. This will possibly be Sneijder's last big transfer, so who can blame him for wanting the best deal, or does SAF believe Sneijder should take a wage cut to play for MU? because of the UK tax rate. If SAF believes he's such a great player, then pay him ? Or what is the difference between that and Wenger's policy of not paying top wages?
Whats the point even talking about getting Ozil ? He wont come to the Prem, and your pie in the sky fantasies about “If Mourinho comes then he could bring him along”, as if thats all it takes. This is nothing but childish writing.
You need to go away and do some REAL research instead of writing this 2 minute piece of rubbish.
I totally agree with the comments above. This blog is meaningless. Current MF of Utd's is just pathetic. Barca exposed this so cruelly. Yet we are dithering to get some qualty in. SAF can say what he wants but if he could he must bring Sneijder in. Utd couldn't get Sanchez or Pasore. Even Hamsik seems unlikely. Why all these snubs? Utd's top management need to look at the scouting agents we have. They are, for me, clearly a collective failure. If Utd can't get Sneijder this time around, Barca or even Madrid/Bayern can teach another painful lesson. Premier League is not a high-level competition and shown clearly by failures in CL. We failed last year to get Ozil. Why? Is there any world-class player in EPL? Rooney comes a bit clos but that's all. So, SAF and David Gill, pls wake up.
I agree with the two posts above. stop bloggin please, your “insights are worthless. you think of last season as a success when even the most avid united fans know we did a poor job for the most part of the season despite winning the league and then the small issue of getting outclassed in midfield by barca.
and please do me a favor and don't mention carrick and scholesy in the same article. grab any three in our midfield and exchange them for sneijder and you would have improved the midfield.
bugger off, will ya
Dear Adam,
Firstly let me apologise for my comments about you. There was no need for me to personally attack you, so I am very sorry.
I think I am very annoyed and frustrated at MU, SAF and of course the Glazers. My outburst at you are and should be directed at them, yes including SAF.
Manchester United is a historical club with fans all over the world, to play for MU is and always will be the highlight of any player's career. Most players who leave MU, usually regret it and quickly slide into obscurity. Yes there are exceptions.
Another historical club is Barcelona, some may feel even more connected to it's roots via the manager appointments and players and of course the fans and Basque region.
This is my point, a club like Barca SPENDS on world class players and pays them their worth. Yes its a privilege to play for Barca, but the club knows what it has to do to secure TOP players.
SAF and the rest of us know that there is no imagination, wizard or locksmith in MU MF. SAF said, Scholes ability to change the tempo of a game, to be a General, a Commander not only leading my example but pinging balls across the field, killer passes and amazing goals. This type of player is hard to find,( and it's not Rooney). If SAF truely believes that MU MF can cope without this, then it will be an interesting season ahead. MU knows how to win the Prem, but have failed badly in Europe. Hear my words, failed…2 Champs league cups under SAF, 1 being totally outplayed and scoring in extra time and 1 on penalties. Not forgetting 2 abysmal showings in 2 finals. This IS NOT the form of European Champions.
MU and SAF have to readdress the wage structure if they want to dominate Europe, as MU will never be able to attract or compete against Barca.
The Glazers take out £millions on personal loans for their family on the back of MU, there is no wage structure for them !
Again Adam, my apologies, if there is any way to remove my previous comment please do so, as it is not acceptable.
Thank you.
The blog showed no real insight and the comments above are more ludicrous than ever.
That is 10 minutes of my life I will never get back.
Poor blog. Stupid comments. Can't blame Carrick for all our problems.
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