Clear the Air Talks

Evening fellow United fans!

My last article wasn't exactly well received so I feel the need to salvage a bit of reputation by sticking strictly to Footballing issues.

I don't think any transfer talk is necessary as we look unlikely to make a signing and it seems Fergie has to repeat himself at least twice a window with his 'no value in the market' 'happy with what I've got' comments.

What I'd like to discuss, after careful consideration is this:

Was it Ando? Was it Cleverly? Was it both? Or was it just a very good, confident start on the back of a fantastic previous season and pre-season tour?

I am, of course, speaking of our fantastic start to the 2011/12 campaign.

We played some magnificent stuff, I was enough of a die-hard to stay up and watch the pre-season games and it genuinely looked like the lads were treating the competitive games as such.

They were enjoying themselves. Being creative, fluid and confident while retaining the professionalism and structure of the team. It was an absolute joy to watch and you can barely blame a lot of our fans' views that a special year was beckoning.

Of course, Football proved once again to be a cruel and unpredictable mistress with a lapse in form and injuries.

But what caused these seemingly wonderful, cohesive performances to slip?

Our central midfield problems seemed all but disappeared as Fergie's reluctance to spend appeared justified. Anderson and Cleverly were dominating games, creating chance after chance and playing a truly gorgeous brand of football.

Since Cleverly's unfortunate injury, however, Ando couldn't quite find that form no matter who partnered him. Was he a catalyst to the team? Was it simply a brilliant partnership between two players who understood each other's game and enjoyed the other's companionship?

Ando, for me, is frustrating. We've seen him play brilliantly but far too rarely. I believe he is one of those players who doesn't adapt well, or more specifically, can only play with a certain type of player.

With Hargo in his first season, he looked awesome! Hargo got injured, Anderson became a WUM's dream.

Cleverly has played just a handful of competitive games yet we seem to miss him so dearly. Is he actually that good? I understand peoples' doubts, he's hardly fully proven. But his technical ability as well as positioning and decision making looked so revised. This is what makes me think he genuinely will become a great player.

Technical ability is often undervalued in the EPL (less so today) which is why players like Paul Scholes didn't perhaps receive the praise he deserved. Having said that, Alonso, Fabregas and Silva's ability has been/is being recognised accordingly.

So, what's your opinion on the matter? Cleverly, the creator? Ando, the unpredictable? Or Manchester United, the wonderful at making things difficult when they really shouldn't be all that but coercing you to love them more at every turn?

Thanks.