Spurs v United – Match Preview

By: Taylor Rockwell | September 11th, 2009

Who: Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United
What: Barclays Premier League Match
Where: White Hart Lane (London)
When: Saturday, 12th September 2009 – 17:30 BST (12:30 EST)
Why: Because I want Berba to score and then wave hello to the supporters section.

Sorry for the dearth of posts this week, but 1) it was the international break and 2) I’ve been crazy busy between a combination of work, radio show, moving into a new apartment, coaching wee nippers, and steadfastly avoiding any further mention of the words “Pogba” and “poaching” and “ban”.

Lucky for me that United take on Spurs at White Hart Lane this weekend, thereby giving me something about which to ramble on for a good hour or so. At the outset of the season, I would have given this encounter some weight, but now it seems to have taken on an importance not seen since… well… I guess the Arsenal game two weeks ago.

For Spurs are riding high near the top of the Premiership table, whilst United are only just behind in third. More to the point, on paper, the clubs are statistically a match. United are averaging 2.5 goals a match, while Spurs are putting in 2.0. United have a goal difference of +6, while Spurs nip them to the punch with +7.

The story on the pitch is a bit different. Spurs (who at this time last season were being pipped for relegation) are off to a roaring start, and were looking like real challengers until Luka Modric went down with leg-snap. Now it remains to be seen if the recent addition of fellow Croatian Niko Kranjcar will allow Tottenham to continue their winning ways. Moreover, a defense that will likely be without Michael Dawson (heel-knack), Gareth Bale (knee-knack), Jonathon Woodgate (dirty long haired hippy-knack), and Ledley King (every conceivable injury ever-knack), could have difficulty dealing with Rooney & Company.

However, it’s that last bit of that last sentence that indicates the issue with the current United squad. Much like a jigsaw puzzle, the early season is all about figuring out where each piece fits. And much like the early part of figuring out the puzzle, much of this young season has been spent trying to figure out just who belongs in our ideal eleven.

Much has been made of the midfield situation, but other issues abound. In the defense, how fit is Rio Ferdinand and will he be ready for Saturday? Who’s our best option at right back? Is Wes Brown at this point simply a plotline to another installment of Weekend at Bernie’s, where the United physios slap some sunglasses on him and prop him up on the bench?

The attack isn’t exactly settled either. Clearly, Rooney is far-and-away the first choice option. However, the situation is a bit hazier when it comes to Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen. Sir Alex Ferguson elected to pursue a 4-5-1 against Arsenal, which has led many to wonder whether or not the Bulgarian striker has the manager’s full support. Michael Owen has looked deadly in some situations (Wigan) and Newcastlesque in others (Burnley). Macheda and Welbeck haven’t figured either, and it remains to be seen how best to utilize our current talent.

And then we come to the midfield, where we’re about as settled as a man on his third marriage. However, in watching the World Cup Qualifiers, I had a realization which (at least for me) was hiding in plain site… and, admittedly, is should have been pretty obvious: Darren Fletcher is good. Obviously, Leo Messi he is not, but what Fletcher lacks in style he makes up for in tenacity, determination, and effort. For some reason, I haven’t really let myself accept that maybe he is deserving of a consistent spot in the starting eleven… but maybe he is… maybe Fletcher can be the hard tackler that we’ve been missing since Keaneo decided to tell the papers a bit too much… or maybe I’m guzzling the Kool-Aid at an alarming rate. Any one of those is a distinct possibility, so I guess I’ll just say that I’m hopping onto the Darren Fletcher bandwagon and am hoping it ends up being a smooth ride.

Regardless, I see United getting it done tomorrow in impressive style. Valencia and Nani both resemble Yo-Yos in terms of consistency, and seeing as they were poor against Arsenal, they’re due for solid performances tomorrow. Fletcher will be Fletcher, and hopefully the rest of the midfield follows suit (not so much in terms of pale Scottishness, but in terms of effort and tenacity). My prayer is that we come out in a 4-4-2 and Berba gets his revenge. Not sure if it’s God or Fergie who’s in charge of answering that one… either works though… COME ON UNITED!!!