Ok, so the first part of the season is over. United made a decent start with 22 points from 10 games, losing to Liverpool, Burnley and dropping points to Sunderland, I think the 2 points we dropped to Sunderland were the most dissapointing. Those 2 points would have given us 24 from 30 which would have represented a good start. So we have moved onto the middle part of the season. 18 matches, 54 points on the line. United have done well over this period in the last 3 season's collecting 44 from 54 in 06/07, 41 from 54 in 07/08 and 44 from 54 last season. I think if we can get to 66 points with 10 games remaining, which is the start of March, we should be well in the title race. With our big-match experiance in the last part of the season I would fancy us to put in a good challenge. With 3 points secured against Blackburn, the lose agianst Chelsea was a blow, even if the performance was one of our best of the season. Now we have to put a good run togther and show some consistency, something the manager mentioned in his press conference. The league will start now,” he said. “I think you’ll get some sort of consistency about it. “Teams aren’t worrying about which players will be coming back from international duty or arranging flights for them to come back on time. Now we’ve got the players for four months and we’re delighted with that.”
My target for United is 66 points, which meant we needed 44 from 54. That gives us a 10-point cushion, we have already dropped 3 points against Chelsea which means the cushion we have is reduced to 7 points, so there is a little bit of pressure on the players, which might bring out the best in them. They have a good attitude and experiance to bouncing back and I fancy us to put a run togther now, because the fixture list over the next 4 months drops off a little. Champions League qualification has been sealed and we only play 3 teams in the current top 8 in the next 16 matches and only 1 of the big four clubs, so United have a chance to gather some points. Where do we need to improve to put a run togther?
Attack - United's present strike rate is 1.92, which despite the bad press over the subject, is the 2nd best we have put togther in the last 3 season's. 06/07 = 2.25, 07/08 = 1.75, 08/09 = 1.66. I don't think there is too much of a big issue there at the moment.
Defence - United average goals conceded is the area of most concern. It is 1.00, not good enough. This is double what we have benn averaging in recent season's. 06/07 = 0.41, 07/08 = 0.50 and 08/09 = 0.44. Why has the defence not been upto scratch this season?
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Our midfeild needs to protect the defence better, we have conceded 4 goals form in front of our defence. Ferguson needs to get the balance right in midfeild and hopefully the return of Owen Hargreaves will be a big boast in that particular area. The defenders also need to do more and close oppostion down around the edge of the box.
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The goalkeeping error's made by Ben Foster were damaging to the player more then anyone, but the return of Van der Sar should help ease that worry.
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The Ferdinand-Vidic partnership has been the foundation of our success in recent years and the injuries they have both suffered, Back and Calf injuries have meant they have played togther in only 33% of our matches so far. Last season in the first 10 that played togther in 83% of matches. I think Vidic has recovered from his injury, but Ferdinand needs abit of time to recover and get over this Back problem. Jonny Evans should be given a run of games alongside Vidic, with Brown as a back-up for those two.
Hopefully now the sqaud can push on abit and close the gap over Chelsea, but this part of the season is massive.