Team Focus: Manchester United's Defensive Shift
There was "no question about it" in Robin van Persie's mind that he had ended his goalscoring drought with the winning goal at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. The powers that be begged to differ, though, with the goal shortly afterwards adjudged to be yet another own goal for Titus Bramble. So van Persie's run without scoring continues; the Dutchman has now gone nearly 10 hours - 594 minutes to be exact - without a goal for his club. United have in the meanwhile, crashed out of both the FA Cup and the Champions League, but have extended their winning streak in the league to 7 games. That is, their best league form of the season has coincided with their star striker's worst goalscoring run. So things must be going well elsewhere, right?
As Europe's elite competition reaches it's more glamourous stages with no English side in the quarter finals for the first time since 1996, Sir Alex Ferguson has been left rueing his talisman's goal dearth. Danny Welbeck was the only United player to get on the scoresheet over the two legs against Real Madrid while van Persie failed, and then over 2 games against Chelsea in the FA Cup, van Persie may have only come off the bench, but nonetheless he still did not manage to find the net where he might have done so earlier in the season. In the Premier League recently, the former Arsenal striker has scored just once in his last 622 minutes on the pitch, having previously averaged a goal every 99 minutes. It could well be that his body is suffering from a second successive season of being more or less ever-present, whilst also being overly relied upon.
At Arsenal, that reliance was plain to see, and has been even more noticeable without him this season. At United, Wayne Rooney has taken on some of the burden with 12 goals, while Javier Hernandez's 8 have also come in handy. However, before Shinji Kagawa's recent hat-trick against Norwich, United's next highest goalscorers were Evra (4), Evans (3) and Rafael (3). Goals have been lacking all season from their midfield and results are starting to tell as van Persie's goals have dried up. The likes of Antonio Valencia, Nani and Ashley Young are particularly culpable. That trio contributed 18 Premier League goals last season and 30 assists to boot, while this term they have only managed 1 goal and 9 assists between them.
So, while Real Madrid and Chelsea have found Manchester United out, Premier League clubs have allowed United to continue their relentless march towards another title. The Red Devils have, though, made hard work of 1-0 wins over Reading and Sunderland in their last two games; the sides that are the worst in the league based on current form, with the former having lost their last 6 games and Sunderland without a win in 8. It seems that, whilst their early season form was based on scoring more than they concede - United conceded at least twice in 6 of their opening 11 league games of the season - their more recent form is based on a solid defence that has seen them go 627 minutes without conceding.
In United's goal, David De Gea has consolidated his place having had to share the spot with Anders Lindegaard earlier on this term, and his confidence has grown resultantly. Errors have been reduced from his game, and while he still lacks confidence and conviction in dealing with crosses, his shot stopping is up there with the best in the league. In fact, the young Spaniard's saves-to-shots ratio of 78.0% is the best of all first choice Premier League keepers (and behind only Gerhard Tremmel (11 appearances) and Jan Mucha (2 apps) overall)). While many a football fan has lacked patience with De Gea, Ferguson has bided his time with him, and the gamble seems to be paying off.
In defence, Rio Ferdinand is having one of his best seasons in recent years, while the return to fitness of Nemanja Vidic has provided healthy competition at the back with Jonny Evans, and United are keeping more clean sheets as a result. United were blowing teams away earlier in the season and looked like becoming worthy and exciting champions. With the defence finding form and the attack - well, Robin van Persie - losing it in recent weeks, the table-toppers are plodding towards a title win that might just end the season as something of a damp squib when they had, not so long ago, been hoping for another treble.
