He’s quick, he’s great, he’s 10 pounds overweight, Anderssssson Anderssson!
If only Manchester United could play Chelsea every 3 days. We wouldn’t need any more football than that. After the fireworks of The Premier League encounter on Sunday, many were expecting an ugly cousin of a game on Wednesday in the cup. But, if anything, this match was even more watchable.
With slightly weaker teams, there was more space on offer for the players to express themselves and we were treated to a 9 goal thriller. Even in defeat this young Manchester United side performed admirably. The strikers showed their quality, Giggsy was a joy to watch as ever and, despite a couple of obvious mistakes, the young centre back pairing of Keane and Wooton can be so proud of their performances, in the face of some of the Premier League’s most scary forwards. And Nani was. Erm. Well, typical Nani really. He scored a blinder, but gave the ball away needlessly in the final seconds of the 90, which led to the Chelsea equaliser.
But soccersweep’s Manchester United man of the match was definitely Anderson. He took the game by the scuff of the neck, a whirlwind of crucial tackles and sublime touches, driving his team forward with conviction and maturity for an hour of the game. What is also pleasing to see is that he is giving the ball away less than ever – ironing the bad decisions out of his game.
But after 70 minutes he started to look like a lad who had been out an all night bender – finishing up with a XXL donner at the end of it all.
Perhaps this is unfair. Maybe he simply needs to pace himself better – he burns so brightly but not for long enough. But there is a lingering, however unfounded doubt, that he doesn’t always look after himself as well as a Robin Van Persie or a Ryan Giggs. Obviously the aforementioned are built differently to the Brazilian. Anderson is stocky like Wayne Rooney and his game is tailored to that physicality.
But you just feel that he is now becoming a player that can change games and he is so close to nailing down a first team spot. His passing is excellent. His reading of the game superb. And his shooting is so much better than in previous seasons. He just seems to lack that final bit of fitness that will cement his spot in the side.
On this form he may well just be used for the first hour of games. But if Anderson could get himself into peak fitness he would surely find himself at the fulcrum of the Manchester United side, at the expense of Tom Cleverley or even Micheal Carrick.
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Chris Nicholls
Nov 1, 2012 at 10:45 am
Anderson had a good game and should not have been substituted. But get used to Ferguson making mistakes. Lindergaard was the wrong goalkeeper to use. He lets in an average of 3 goals every game, and Ferguson must look for another reserve. Nani should be on the way out, Welbeck more like a ballerina than a footballer, and playing a bunch of kids in a competition he does not care about, brought about the eventual result. Where is Mourinho, Guardiola, or the man who will take United to the next age of glory?
Utdfan
Nov 1, 2012 at 10:58 am
Fergie prefers Carrick, cleverly and fletcher ahead of Anderson, not because he is unfit and definitely not because he has less skill than the others but mainly because of Fergie’s loyalty towards Carrick and English players even though their ability in keeping the ball and generating forwards moves are shite !!! this is a fact, the sooner Fergie retires the more chance the foreign players will get in terms of first team playing time.