Poor Start Due to Poor Summer?

Only 2 games into the new season (not even that for some) and it’s already becoming apparent which clubs have – and have not – spent well this summer. Of course, it’s far too early to talk about individual players, plenty will take time to settle in. I’m talking instead about the areas of the squad that clubs have invested in, and whilst again it’s probably too early to make definitive judgements, three or four trends are fast becoming clear.

With two points and no points respectively from fairly generous-looking starts, Manchester United and Tottenham have done nothing to answer critics of their summer transfer policies. One goal in two games is a huge contrast from the way the Champions opened their campaign last season, and questions are already being asked about the way United did business in the summer.

Quite clearly, they were always going to be seen as the team to beat this year. With the exception of the big four, every opponent the Red Devils face this season will be tough to break down, getting men behind the ball in an attempt to shackle Ferguson’s men. In this sense - on the surface of things – the signings of creative geniuses and hot young prospects Tevez, Nani and Anderson look like just what United will need to prevent a season of frustration. But this is overlooking one major factor – Manchester United have only one striker in their whole squad, and he goes by the name of Louis “Darren Anderton” Saha.

In playing Wayne Rooney on his own up front for large parts of last season, United quite regularly seemed short of penetration in the final third. Only the pace, trickery, form and genius of Cristiano Ronaldo saved their bacon in several tight encounters last season. Games against Fulham and Reading immediately leap to mind, but bearing in mind Ronaldo bagged over 20 goals, I’d be prepared to bet there are others if I could be arsed to check. The point is, Rooney isn’t a striker, he’s far more comfortable in a withdrawn Dennis Bergkamp-type role – and he’s certainly not a LONE striker.

With his injury, public attention has fast turned to the fact that Carlos Tevez – undoubted class act – is even LESS of a lone striker than Rooney ever will be, lacking the power of the scouse boxing aficionado. For an example of this, imagine Tevez, back to goal, trying to hold the ball up whilst enjoying the attentions of Ryan Nelsen and Chris Samba. Ouch.

If you’ve got a pair of physical centre halves, who’ll not let Tevez get the ball into feet and turn to face goal, you really only have Ronaldo to fear. Shackle him with a man-marking game and a few hefty challenges early on, and hey presto you’ve got a blueprint for negating United. Until Saha is fit and firing, questions over why Ferguson didn’t go and buy a target man this summer will persist. Because I’ll keep asking them.

As for Tottenham, well that’s even worse. Words have been banded about in the papers this week like “gutless”, “shambles”, “disgrace”, and “abysmal”, but I wouldn’t necessarily use any of them to describe Tottenham’s start. I’d say something along the lines of absolutely mind numbingly f**king stupid.

Because that’s what you’d have to be not to realise where Tottenham needed strengthening this summer, and it most certainly wasn’t up front. Granted, they probably needed a centre back, and Younes Kaboul looks a good bet. But Christ almighty, who spends £17m on Darren Bent when they don’t have a midfield?

Where is Spurs’ creativity? Where? I look at their squad and I absolutely despair, when I see the wealth of striking talent at their disposal paired with the gaping hole that is their midfield. Teemo Tainio, Danny Murphy, Didier Zokora, Aaron “what’s an end product?” Lennon, Steed “out of position” Malbranque, Kevin “no-one’s heard of me” Boateng…the list of s**t goes on.

The undisputed king of Spurs midfield mediocrity though, manages to get a place in virtually every England squad. He can’t cross, can’t pass forwards, can’t tackle, isn’t strong, has poor touch, and is nothing special in the air. But he cost £8m, and Steve McClaren loves him. Step forward Jermaine Jenas.

Labelled a “box to box midfielder”, this is purely down to the fact that no-one can work out what he does, rather than being a testament to his industry and versatility. He’s nobody’s idea of a defensive midfielder, and heaven help you if you think he’s a creative player, but he’s a mainstay of midfield in a team that thinks it’s going to be top four this season!? Lampard and Essien, Scholes and Hargreaves, Gerrard and Alonso, Fabregas and Gilberto…Jenas and Zokora. That’s the only time you’ll see the Spurs engine room mentioned in the same breath as those others - without the accompanying words “vastly inferior” - all season. And rightly so.
y
Like United, Spurs have bought quality players this season. Really class acts, from what I can tell. But when those great players don't actually HELP the team (and the lack of others in a certain position actually hinder it), then aren't these great managers just playing a glorified game of fantasy football? It raises the question of whether all the money in the game is clouding the judgement of those in charge of our clubs. "Ooh, I've got £30m, I'll get TEVEZ! F**k off Quieroz, who cares if he's not what we need? He's CARLOS TEVEZ!" Real Madrid will tell you how that works out. And to a lesser extent, so will Freddy Shepherd. (Patrick Kluivert, anyone?)
y
The lesson for us all here is not to get carried away by pre-season hype. Granted, we shouldn’t get carried away now either – we all know Man Utd will challenge, and Spurs will be ok too, if Jenas gets crocked. But the arrivals of the kids from Portugal, the Tevez affair, and the fact that Darren Bent cost more than Thierry Henry had pundits salivating at the idea of both these sides letting loose their goal glut on the nation. There wasn’t one journalist however, who actually sat back, looked at things, and said “but who’s going to hold the ball up for Man U, don’t they need someone to lead the line?” or “Spurs have four great strikers – but with that midfield, will they ever get the ball?”
y
Don’t be distracted by the names in the headlines folks – it’s the qualities of the players that count, and how well they compliment or add to their new squads, not just their reputations. The likes of Healy, Chopra and Sibierski have made flying starts, despite the media telling us how s**t they are. Well I don't know about you, but I'd rather be a Fulham fan than a Spurs one today, and I know which team's boss is safer. Buying what you need is better than buying the latest "big thing".