United: Are you Arsenal in disguise?

13 April 2012

As Manchester United struggle to rediscover the cavalier style so typical of great Old Trafford teams down the years, it was apt that their most exciting player should launch a book entitled

Moments

Cristiano Ronaldo and his team-mates have produced moments of excitement and inspiration this season. But only moments.

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It's over there: Fergie points Ronaldo and Rooney goalwards

For the most part, it has been a prosaic United launching a dogged defence of their Premier League title with a series of one-goal wins.

Only the 2-0 victory over Chelsea has broken a six-game 1-0 run in League and European competition.

It is a far cry from the wave of expectation that greeted the arrival of Carlos Tevez, Nani and Anderson in the summer to complement a strikeforce that already boasted Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Louis Saha.

Sir Alex Ferguson planned to bewitch his opponents with a four-pronged attack capable of switching positions and piercing defences with pace and trickery.

United at the moment bear an uncanny resemblance to Arsenal in the dark days' of George Graham's reign

Yet after 11 League and cup games of the new season, his side have scored a grand total of nine goals as Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez struggle to show their best form.

Boring, boring United. Who would have thought it? After helping grind out the latest 1-0 win against Roma — courtesy of Rooney's first goal of the season on Tuesday night — Rio Ferdinand admitted the champions are failing their fans by not providing the entertainment expected of United teams.

"You always like to keep clean sheets but Manchester United are not just about winning games," he said. "We have to entertain the fans.

"The supporters pay good money to come here and the whole heritage of Manchester United is based on attacking football and free-flowing football that fans want to watch.

"We are aiming to get to that level but at the moment I think we have to take what we are given.

"We will work harder on the training pitch because we know we have a duty to entertain the fans.

"Once you have played for Manchester United that is made very plain to you: that fans expect to be on the edge of their seats. We are trying to do that but it is taking just a little time for this season to settle down."

Although there appear to be signs United are beginning to click, once again on Tuesday they were not at their best and Roma would have taken something from the game had they not missed so many chances.

At least Rooney got off the mark after returning from his foot injury, while Ronaldo struck against Birmingham last Saturday and Tevez — a substitute against Roma — scored the opening goal in the previous Premier League game at home to Chelsea.

Concerns have been raised that Rooney and Tevez are too similar in stature and style but Ferdinand is convinced Ferguson's strikers will soon be firing on all cylinders.

"All of our attacking players have been out of the team for one reason or another, so they are not all 100 per cent fit and raring to go," he added.

"You have seen the forwards playing to only a fraction of what they did last season, but we're still winning games and that's the most important statistic of all.

"We aren't managing to score many goals but we will keep taking one-nils because we're winning just about every week.

"I think there are glimpses that we are beginning to get it right."

Ronaldo is now United's joint leading scorer with two goals from seven games, the same start he made last season when he went on to plunder 23 goals and play a major role in helping United regain the title.

His sluggish start to the new campaign has been typical of United in general but he also believes they will soon be back in their stride.

"It was a special season and although 23 is a lot for a winger, I believe I can do the same or even better," he said at the launch of his book at Old Trafford.

"But Manchester United isn't just Cristiano Ronaldo. It's Rooney, Tevez, Saha. Plenty of players; fantastic players, not just me.

"When you play for a team like United, people have more expectation and I feel very proud to play with these players in this team. I try to do my best to score and show my skills.

"I've tried to help Nani and Anderson and tell them what they need to do. I know the mentality of the supporters, I know the football. New players don't know that.

"I remember when I arrived here, Giggsy, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville helped me a lot. Now I want to stay here and be part of history at this club.

"The dream for us all now is to win the Champions League. I hope to win it this season. We have the team and the players, so why not?"

Throughout yesterday's launch, Ronaldo refused to take off a large pair of sunglasses and reveal the eye injury which required four stitches following a collision with Roma substitute Mirko Vucinic.

Denying there was intent on the part of Vucinic and warning that he would never allow himself to be intimidated on the pitch, the Portugal winger added: "The eye is OK. In four or five days it will be beautiful again!"

If only United could rediscover the beautiful side of their game so quickly.

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