Sir Alex may faces ban over referee comments

Sir Alex Ferguson is facing the possibility of a minimum two-match touchline ban for his outspoken criticisms of the referee Martin Atkinson.The Football Association's lawyers are deliberating over whether to open proceedings against the Manchester United manager following his reaction to the 2-1 defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. United have already spoken to their own legal advisers and Ferguson has indicated he intends to plead not guilty if he is to face disciplinary action for the fifth time in as many years.
The expectation within Old Trafford is that he will be charged and Ferguson already has two matches of a four-game touchline ban hanging over him as a suspended sentence for his condemnation of Alan Wiley in 2009 as not being physically fit to officiate in the Premier League.

That punishment will be triggered automatically if Ferguson is found guilty of misconduct for the post-match outburst in which he castigated Atkinson for not sending off the Chelsea defender David Luiz and blamed the defeat on a series of refereeing decisions.

"You hope you get a really strong referee in games like this," he said. "It was a major game for both clubs and you want a fair referee, you know ... You want a strong referee, anyway, and we didn't get that. I don't know why he's got the game. I must say that, when I saw who was refereeing it, I feared the worst."

The FA's investigation is heavily focused on the word "fair" and the implication that Ferguson was alleging impartiality on the part of a referee who has been a source of frustration to him ever since an FA Cup tie against Portsmouth in March 2008, when both the United manager and his then assistant, Carlos Queiroz, were charged for their criticisms of his performance.

The FA has asked Sky and MUTV for an unedited copy of their post-match interviews from Stamford Bridge and the governing body has until 4pm on Friday to decide what to do next. In Ferguson's defence, the way he appears to backtrack a little on the "fair" comment may help him in what is considered a difficult and tight decision for the FA.

If charged, Ferguson would be given one working day to respond and a hearing would take place next week, ruling out the possibility that Ferguson will have to watch Sunday's game at Liverpool in the stands. Instead, a possible ban would come into place for two home games, the FA Cup quarter-final on 12 March and the Premier League game against Bolton Wanderers a week later.

In the case of a proven charge, the FA would also have the power to add to that punishment if it felt the offence was serious enough, and it would be held against Ferguson if he has chosen to deny any wrongdoing.

United's manager is facing problems in his back four for the match at Liverpool because Nemanja Vidic is suspended after being sent off at Chelsea and Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans are injured. It means Chris Smalling is likely to be partnered in central defence by Wes Brown, who has fallen out of favour and has not featured in the Premier League since November. The left-back Patrice Evra, meanwhile, is having treatment after coming off at Stamford Bridge with an injury.

Michael Carrick has called on United to react swiftly to their second defeat in four league games. "We feel pretty down but we can move on quickly," the midfielder said. "We have to. We're used to doing it and normally we are good at it. That is the nature of the beast."

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After defeat

The matches against Crawley Town and Marseille were unbearable for most Manchester United fans. Old Trafford, famous for fans loudly urging the team to attack, has become a boring place of late – a sad thought for anyone who has witnessed classic matches at the stadium. Despite United scoring more goals than any other side in the Premier League, the Reds performances have also been sub-par this season.

The problem lies in the squad. United does not lack numbers but the quality is noticeably missing. Pundits, such as Didier Deschamps last week, have long pointed out the lack of “stardust” in midfield, with Michael Carrick and Anderson performing poorly and Paul Scholes no longer able to cope with pressure. The engine room is remarkably pedestrian.

Fans point to Mesut Özil and Rafael Van der Vaart as missed opportunities but neither of the two would have fitted in well at Old Trafford. Panic buys are not the answer either but, at the same time, it is hard not to blame Sir Alex Ferguson and his scouts when another outstanding midfielder, Shinji Kagawa, was purchased for almost nothing in the summer.

Just as the season before, Ferguson probably intended to funnel attacks through wide men this campaign. Ferguson’s tactical experiments this season – the new 4-4-2 and the gridiron style 4-5-1 – rely heavily on wingers. The plan has worked to a degree – after all, only Barcelona has scored more domestically than United in major European leagues.

It remains a doubt whether the anticipated return of Antonio Valencia will help United though – after all, there is no guarantee that the Ecuadorian will regain his pre-injury form. Even should the winger miraculously recover, the 25-year-old’s return to the first eleven will see Nani moved to the left. On the left, the Portuguese is predictable and easy to defend against. It is true that Nani has become much better decision maker this season but there is no guarantee that he will perform on the left as well as he has on the right.

Indeed, the most realistic scenario is playing Park Ji-Sung on the left, once he comes back from his knee injury. United will most probably persist with the 4-5-1 and rely on Nani and Rooney to come up with moments of magic. But as previously noted, the 4-5-1 system stifles United’s full-backs and John O’Shea will normally be preferred to Rafael da Silva in the formation. It remains to be seen whether Rio Ferdinand’s return will prompt Sir Alex to reinstate the Brazilian full-back – after all, the need to protect the “quarterback” trumps having an attacking right full-back.

United is in perilous position after the defeat at Stamford Bridge last night. Given the hamstrung morale of Arsenal after the Carling Cup final loss, the Red Devils still remain the favorite for the league. Most realistic challengers to the FA Cup have already been knocked out and United will be the main contender for the Cup should the Reds triumph against Leyton Orient or Arsenal.

It is harder to judge United’s prospect in Europe though – it isn’t bright but the semi-final remains a viable goal assuming a kind quarter-final draw.

There is a more interesting question is about the future though. How can United turn its fortunes around and fashion both an exciting and winning team? Fluidity is hard – the club cannot simply buy it’s way to becoming Barcelona overnight. Indeed, United has an effective set-up and Ferguson will probably invest in only a player or two to fit into the current system, rather than attempt a complete overhaul.

Moreover, the current 4-5-1 can be entertaining; theoretically, the emphasis is on width and tempo. The key is the deep-lying playmaker. He must be able to withstand pressure, in order to free both full-backs. A physically robust “quarterback” will allow Rafael to play, instead of O’Shea.

In this system, the “quarterback” starts all the attacks, mainly through balls out to flanks, so he can’t just be a defensive midfielder either. Candidates include Nuri Sahin of Dortmund, Ever Banega of Valencia, Luka Modric of Tottenham, Sergio Busquets of Barcelona and Bastian Schweinsteiger of Bayern Munchen.

Another feasible idea is to acquire a playmaker and deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation. With two defensive midfielders, the full-backs are freed. It has another benefit – with lots of players in the middle, possession maintenance is easy. Counter-attacking football, against sides that perhaps take the initiative, is also easier with two wingers placed high up the pitch. The system is also tailor-made for high-tempo, attacking game – the system was conceived in Spain to press.

Finding a playmaker to fit in such system is slightly more nuanced than it appears though – classic trequartisti are much harder to build a side around than their modern cousins who are more direct and busy. Candidates include Luka Modric of Tottenham, Kagawa of Dortmund and Javier Pastore of Palermo.

A left-winger also remains an issue. This column has extensively written on Park and specifically why playing a defensive winger is actually a bad idea. Ryan Giggs can’t play forever and Nani’s ability to play on the left is questionable. Juan Mata of Valencia, Ashley Young of Aston Villa and Stevan Jovetic of Fiorentina are possible targets.

Other options exist too. Mario Gotze of Dortmund, Kagawa and Modric are playmakers by trade but they have all played on the left. In fact, buying a playmaker who can play on the left will allow United to rotate players on the fringe – Dimitar Berbatov, Javier Hernández and Valencia – with ease.

United is still on course for a pretty good season – just a player or two away from becoming more entertaining. The dull games over the past two seasons have been painful but United fans must not forget that they been more blessed than most football fans in experiencing glory and good football. The very ability to soldier through bad times separates the real fans from the fair-weather ones – after all, the option to “**** off and support Chelsea” or any other fashionable team always exists.

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What a player!

Former Liverpool captain Alan Hansen believes Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has unearthed another gem in the shape of Javier Hernandez following the Mexican international’s brace against Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
The Match of the Day pundit believes Ferguson will soon have to select the precocious 22-year-old from the start of games given his rapid rise to the fore, but argues Manchester United will be severely weakened if the FA decides to suspend Wayne Rooney for three games due to his controversial elbow on Wigan Athletic’s James McCarthy. Should the FA retrospectively ban Rooney for the Premier League games against Chelsea, Liverpool and the potential FA Cup tie against Arsenal, the former Anfield stalwart believes it could undermine the Red Devils’ season, because Hernandez is not quite ready to replace the 25-year-old England international.
Hansen suggests Hernandez has all the hallmarks of a world class forward, highlighting the player’s movement and instinct finishing as the youngster’s two main attributes.
Speaking about the possibility of losing Wayne Rooney to suspension, Hansen told the Daily Telegraph: “Without him, they will be short of one of their very best players and despite the terrific form and progress of Javier Hernandez, he is a star of the future and not a star of now.
“Some might argue that United will not miss Rooney if he gets suspended, simply because of the way Hernandez has been playing and scoring.
“But the reason why Sir Alex is not choosing to start Hernandez regularly is because the Mexican forward still has a bit to go before he is the finished article.
“It might not take too much longer for that to happen, though.
“For a 22-year-old, Hernandez possesses every attribute you want in a striker. He is clinical with both feet, quick and just gets on with it, whether he comes off the bench or is taken off by his manager.
“He is going to be some player and, sooner or later, Ferguson will have no option but to go with him from the start.
“But at the moment, all that Hernandez lacks is experience and that is why losing Rooney to a suspension for his clash with McCarthy would be a huge blow for United.”

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20 years of Ryan Giggs: I may have 11 titles, but I'm not done yet!

Twenty years on, Ryan Giggs claims not to remember much about his Manchester United debut.

English football's most decorated player is similarly reticent when it comes to talking about his favourite team-mate, biggest influence and favourite moment.

Interestingly for a man who has won so much, he becomes much more animated when asked about the other side of a sportsman's life. Giggs, it seems, can talk all day about defeat.

Take, for example, his views on some key disappointments. 'Last year when Chelsea won the Double . . . it winds you up,' said Giggs. 'You don't want it to happen again. You don't want to feel like you did last summer. You want to feel like the year before when you won the league.

'It's not the fear of failure. It's just craving that feeling of winning the title. We lost by one point last year and it stays with you.

'You go away on holiday, you're lying on the beach trying to enjoy yourself with the kids, and you do, but then you have a quiet moment, it comes back to you what happened and, I'll say it, you're p****d off.

'You're on holiday and you're just p****d off.

'The worst I've ever felt was after my first full season when we lost the league to Leeds, but the European Cup final in Rome, getting beaten by Barcelona, was a close second. That feeling of emptiness. You're on the coach outside the stadium, you know you haven't played well personally and you haven't played well as a team.

'It's the last game of the season and you'll never get it back and you're just gutted. It's an emptiness.

'But you don't jump to any conclusion and, slowly, it goes. You look forward to the next season and the challenge.

'But that final, I've never even watched the game back. The manager has probably watched it six or seven times but I've not.'

It seems appropriate, here, to mention some Ryan Giggs statistics. He has played 862 times for United since his debut against Everton on March 2 1991 - 20 years ago. He has won 11 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, four League Cups, eight Charity Shields, two Champions Leagues, one Super Cup and one Club World Cup.

He is 37 years old and has two young children. Doesn't there come a time when you have simply won enough? When one more title or cup doesn't actually make that much difference? It is apparent that there does not.

'At the beginning of your career you are just driven by a desire to get in the first team and stay there,' said Giggs. 'Then in later years, the desire is still there, the challenge is still there, and you enjoy it more when you are older because you can savour it.

'But I don't think about the titles I've won. I just look at the future. Like I said, I want that feeling back again.'

Locked in the vaults of Granada TV is a video of a teenage Giggs playing for his boys team in a final at Anfield. He is the star, hogging the ball on the field and the camera off it. He is cocky and confident, full of it.

These days, the image is different. The dignified elder statesman of the Barclays Premier League, the one everybody eventually wants to be. Somewhere along the way, after the skirmishes with Lee Sharpe and Nicky Butt and the celebrity girlfriends, something changed.

'Probably an accumulation of things made me change,' he added. 'I remember in my first full season, Today newspaper ran, like, a week-long sort of feature, delving into my family, my dad's family, the rift between my mum and dad, that sort of thing. That wakes you up quite quickly and toughens you up.

'I went out with a few girls who were famous as well, and you get photographers following you. It was just . . . I just didn't like it. I was 18 or 19 at the time. Sharpey was great. We got on really well and there's that famous incident at his house when the manager came and found us and dragged me out.

'That probably had a big impact on me in terms of the fact you've got to live your life right.

'But Becks coming played a part too. I was trying to keep out of the limelight, then Becks came and everything happened, so that was good timing for me I suppose.'

Giggs is expected to mark his 20-year anniversary by playing for United at Chelsea. It will also see him equal Sir Bobby Charlton's record of 606 league games for his one and only club.

For the record, his debut came as a substitute against Everton at Old Trafford in the old Division One. Giggs didn't appear again until he started against Manchester City two months later.

'I remember Dave Watson going through the back of me,' Giggs smiled. 'I remember having a big cut on my knee for ages.

'I remember my full debut a lot more, but Everton? Not a lot really.

'I remember crossing a ball and Danny Wallace heading it just wide. That's about it really.'

Interestingly, United lost 2-0 to Everton that day. Clearly, even Giggs doesn't remember every defeat.

Cover story: Ryan Giggs is featured in the latest issue of Sky Sports magazine, where the picture (above) was first published. See this month's issue for an anniversary interview and more images.

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MAnchester United Vs Wigan

Manchester United obtained only their 4th away win of the league season on Saturday on what proved ultimately to be a comfortable afternoon. With the decisive second goal only appearing in the 74th minute, the previous action had been fairly even with the relegation threatened side holding their own against their title chasing opposition.

Ultimately there were various reasons for the eventual result and below are my thoughts on the main talking points.

Javier Hernandez - Baby faced assassin Mark II
Following his introduction onto the global stage during last summer's World Cup in South Africa, the "Little Pea" settled immediately into life in the goldfish bowl that is Manchester United on the pre-season American tour. He completed the rare feat of playing against and for United in the same game when he played for his old team Chivas in the first half and then swapped sides after half time.

What is impressive about Hernandez is the quality of his all round games at such an early stage of his career. He is adept with either foot, has immense pace, good spring for someone of 5ft 9" and the well used phrase "natural goalscorer" seems to fit his abilities comfortably. He also appears to have a fantastic attitude to the game. Stories abound how he is often first into training and the last to leave and it is very noticeable how he promotes the team ethic rather than concentrate on his own performances. All in all, it brings back memories of a certain Norwegian who arrived at Old Trafford as an unheralded youngster but left as a genuine club legend having beguiled everyone who encountered him with his sincerity and focus.

The one trait that has impressed me the most has been his movement. Both on and off the ball, he is never still, always looking to play on the shoulder of the last defender and then use his lightening pace to get away from the last man. Once through on goal, he seems to have ice running through his veins and invariably outwits the keeper to slot the ball home with either foot.

A perfect example of his movement to create goal scoring opportunities was seen at the DW Stadium on Saturday during the build up to his two goals.

Figure 1 below shows Hernandez on the edge of the box (circled) with the ball about to be picked up by Nani. At this point in the move, he is lurking behind Maynor Figueroa and about to make his decisive break. The defender will know he is there but will be happy that he has the danger covered.

Figure 1

Hernandez currently behind Figueroa heading towards goal anticipating a Nani cross

Figure 2 below is taken just three seconds later and look at the difference in positions of the two players. Hernandez has darted past Figueroa to the near post anticipating the cross from Nani while the defender was unable to react to the movement and is now a good distance away from the player that was in his pocket a few seconds ago.

Figure 2

Just three seconds later, he is at the near post applying the finishing touch and defender has lost him completely

The second example was seen in the Mexican's second goal. A long punt down field from Van Der Sar saw Hernandez deflect the ball off to Rooney and then he was alive to the prospect of a goal scoring opportunity as he darts towards the penalty box. Look at the distance at this point between the little Mexican and the last man Gary Caldwell shown by the arrow.

Figure 3

Laying the ball off and then "on his bike" towards goal

Figure 4 below is once again taken just three seconds later. By this time, Hernandez has collected the return pass from Rooney and is away towards goal with Caldwell struggling. A calm assured finish puts United two up and on the way to a valuable three points.

Figure 4

Three seconds later, clear of the last defender and on the way to his 2nd goal.

No doubt Hernandez will be back on the bench when Tuesday's match against Chelsea rolls around but he is certainly given the manager plenty of food for thought as he looks to how best to rotate his squad as the climax to the season approaches.

More United positives
Edwin Van Der Sar continues to defy the ageing process with yet another vital contribution. Key saves from Moses and McCarthy kept the home side at bay at a time when the destiny of the game could have gone either way. It could be argued that the giant Dutchman like a fine wine, is getting better with age. After a spell a few seasons ago when his powers seemed to be on the wane, he has recovered and is now arguably the form keeper in the league. His retirement will leave a massive void at the end of the season and he deserves a trophy laden end to a career that places him in the higher echelons in the world game.

Darron Gibson has been much maligned over the course of this season. Some of this criticism has been justified as he has struggled to make any impression but the last few games have offered a glimpse to a certain improvement. He clearly has ability and needs to capitalise on this over a longer period of time in the hope of winning over his critics.

Clearly the key to success this season is going to be based on our defensive solidity. Vidic has been a mainstay in the side and has visibly grown with the responsibility that being awarded the captaincy has brought. Smalling once more continued to show his composure and maturity deputising for the injured Ferdinand. The full backs Evra and O'Shea have been solid for the last few games and have done well to supplement the attack whenever possible. This solid base will be essential in the games to come as the ability to notch up regular clean sheets will result in victories in the vast proportion of matches.

Wayne Rooney - Elbow incident
If Rooney escapes without punishment for this incident then he will be a lucky boy indeed. To commit such an offence late in the game could be described as irresponsible but to do so as early in such an important game as he did is reckless in the extreme. He is on thin ice with many fans at the present time anyway and reducing his team to ten men would have brought a serious examination of his credibility as a United player seeing as he has been "rewarded" with the biggest contract in the club's history.

Obertan & Bebe


The image of Gabriel Obertan and Bebe in the stands at the DW Stadium seemingly more engrossed in an Ipod and a phone respectively, provoked a surge of messages to my twitter timeline. In some ways,the image was symbolic of many of the fears that the United faithful have in these two characters. The feeling is that they do not yet fully understand the privilege and responsibility that comes with being connected to Manchester United. It is widely thought that they do not have a sound grasp of the finer points of the game of football and that they would be well served taking the chance to listen to the observations of Ryan Giggs sandwiched between them. The image became even more iconic due to the presence of Sir Bobby Charlton in the row in front who would surely not have been impressed by their lack of enthusiasm for the match in front of them. I can give Bebe the benefit of the doubt as it may have simply been poor timing to catch him the exact moment that a message came through. There is however, no excuse for the Frenchman sat there in massive headphones looking distinctly bored. This is a player let's not forget, schooled at the much famed Clairefontaine academy in France that has produced numerous examples of quality over the years. I would imagine that the management will have a quiet word in his ear to explain the situation and why it looks disrespectful to his team mates.

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