Republik Of Mancunia |
| Posted: 05 Sep 2014 02:00 AM PDT If you hadn’t heard already, United have dissolved the academy and now intend to break the transfer record with every new signing. Like Chelsea and Manchester City, we don’t play any of the players we have produced ourselves, we don’t nurture top division quality talent, and are just attempting to buy success. We have next to no English players and have no interest in promoting local talent.
Believe it or not, Mike Phelan is referring to the sale of Danny Welbeck in his statement above. The “thread has been broken” because we sold one up-and-coming striker and replaced him with one of the best players in the world in the same position. I have made no secret of my genuine affection for Welbeck. Of course I could recognise his flaws but then I could also understand that he was just 23-years-old. Last season, he had a better scoring record than the likes of Didier Drogba, Ian Wright and Karim Benzema and his age. I wanted to see him given the chance to prove what he could do at United. The notion that United are now becoming disconnected from their roots and becoming like Chelsea and City is nonsense. However much I like Welbeck, there was no way he was going to get in the starting XI ahead of Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney. The additions of Juan Mata and Angel di Maria meant even fewer options for Welbeck to get playing time. Welbeck wasn’t happy to sit on the bench during the peak of his career and that is fair enough. Van Gaal reportedly told he had no problems with Welbeck staying but wouldn’t try and stop him if he wanted to leave. From the reaction of the media and fans, both rival and at United, you would think this was unusual. How many former academy players have left the club over the years because the manager didn’t deem them good enough for the starting XI and they wanted regular football elsewhere? The likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville all spent their entire career at the club, but United have made around £140m from the sales of youth products over the past couple of decades. Why are people so critical because the club chose to sell Welbeck? Quite possibly because in Welbeck’s place is one of the best strikers in the world, with 155 goals in his last 200 games. Because one former youth player has left and a world class players has filled his boots, there’s somehow the notion that United are ditching youth and homegrown talent, like City and Chelsea. That notion is, of course, nonsense. 12 out of the 25 players in Van Gaal’s squad are homegrown and 7 of them are from the academy. So, almost a third of United’s current squad has come up through the ranks and almost half are homegrown. In City’s squad, they only have one player who came up through the ranks, Boyata, who made 1 appearance for them last season and 0 appearances this season. In Chelsea’s squad, they too just have one player from the ranks, Terry, who made his debut 15 years ago. I’m gutted Danny’s gone but anyone who thinks his sale is something new has been reading too many papers. The academy players who aren’t good enough for the starting team have been leaving the club for years. I’m sad that Welbeck is the latest to join that list but he won’t be the last, and there’s nothing wrong with that. |
| Maybe I’m just Longsighted, but Arsenal fans don’t know how good they have got it with Welbeck Posted: 05 Sep 2014 01:30 AM PDT
Undoubtedly the two deals both going down to the wire was no coincidence, with the reliance on Falcao's switch from Monaco going through before any move for Welbeck to the Emirates would be given the green light. Given the option, it goes without saying that almost any fan would take the Colombian goal machine at their club ahead of the England frontman, but it still hurts to lose one of your own. Rumours of various comings and goings were rife throughout the summer, but all the talk of an exit for Welbeck seemed illogical and baffling given our attacking options, and with the introduction of James Wilson into this season's first team squad, only an exit for Javier Hernandez – who also made a late loan switch to Real Madrid – seemed like a plausible option. Certainly losing both seemed out of the question. However in the remaining days, it appeared as though Welbeck's fate was sealed, after seemingly being told he would be behind Rooney, Van Persie and even Wilson in the pecking order, with the availability of Monaco's Falcao proving the final nail in the coffin. My first encounter of Welbeck came in the FA Youth Cup Semi-Final at Old Trafford, ironically against the team that 7 years later he would go on to join. I was eager to see the rangy, local forward turning out that day, having heard positive things throughout the season. His ability to bring others into play immediately struck me, along with his ability to aptly slot easily into either the centre forward's role, or more of a wide position. The 16-year-old from Longsight scored United's fourth that day and was largely instrumental in a 4-2 win – securing a final place against Liverpool. His destiny in the United first team squad was apparent and made his Premier League debut little over a year later at Old Trafford, replacing Ji-Sung Park in a 5-0 victory over Stoke. His Premier League introduction proved that he had something about him, leaving a lasting memory at Old Trafford, playing a neat one-two with Manucho before unleashing a stunning 30-yard drive for United's fourth that day. A loan spell at Sunderland in the 2010-11 season gave him the Premier League exposure needed giving him the chance to perform week in week out at the top level. There he proved more than capable, running the show in a 3-0 victory over Chelsea – his standout performance at the Black Cats. Rumours that the Weirsiders wanted to make the deal permanent were dashed with Welbeck returning to the United first team set up the following season. He kept Dimitar Berbatov out of the team at the beginning of that season, impressing in the Community Shield, before netting in early wins over both Tottenham and Arsenal before a hamstring injury ruled him out. He went on to score 12 times in his first full season, bettered only by Wayne Rooney and proving an essential member of the United squad. Being perhaps not the most glamorous or flamboyant of frontmen, Welbeck's qualities tend to go unnoticed – mainly by fans of other Premier League clubs – with his lack of goals cited among the "He's shit" arguments, a point largely moot given that an out and out goalscorer is something he has never claimed or threatened to be. General consensus amongst many Arsenal fans on hearing of the move being the "Oh God, not Danny Welbeck" approach. Astounding naivety. It's happened many times before, England fans for example fail to recognise the role Carrick could have played over the last decade, blindsided by the cluster-fuck of the Gerrard/Lampard partnership and they fact that they could each net 20+ goals a season or had a higher market value on Football Manager. Welbeck's ability to stretch defences and run channels brings others into play perhaps making him a more credible candidate to feature alongside either Rooney or Van Persie in a front two given their seeming lack of understanding and chemistry. He has already proved that he can handle the big occasion, netting United's opener against Real Madrid at the Bernebeau a few seasons back, before being our biggest threat in our most recent Champions league exit to Bayern Munich. More decisive finishing from him in that tie may have seen a different outcome, but his effort and work rate alone allows more chances to be created. While it's a shame to see the likes of Welbeck go as I feel he still had a great deal to offer our side, his deal represents superb value for money for Arsenal. To put things in perspective, The Gunners – who are without a recognised centre-forward due to Giroud's injury – have a young but experienced Premier League and Champions League frontman for the same price as Liverpool paid for Balotelli, without any of the same risk. Or to rub salt into our wounds, we received the same for a recognised international forward, as we paid for Wilfried Zaha. The unselfish nature of his play and ability to bring into play those around him should bode well for him at Arsenal, and given the chance to be the focal point of their attack will no doubt bring him plenty more goals and assists. His desire and hunger made him a standout choice for the big games, because most importantly, he was United through and through. A Manchester lad who had been at the club since he was eight years of age. Someone who knew exactly what it meant to play for Manchester United. Welbeck's exit means that Tyler Blackett will be the only real local vying for a realistic place in the first team squad, but while suggestions are made that the sale ditches United's philosophy of promoting from within are absurd. Wholesale changes to the squad were clearly needed hence the large outlay on transfers this summer, but along with this came the appointment of a manager who has a reputation perhaps above any of giving chances to academy players. We have every reason to be excited about Wilson, as well as Blackett, Reece James and others who may follow over the coming years, but while we say goodbye to Welbeck, the love affair is not necessarily over just yet. We've enjoyed Danny for what he is, and now it's about time others started doing the same. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Republik Of Mancunia: A Manchester United Blog To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Written by TBMU Admin
We are Manchester United Fan located around the World which provides user friendly, effective and easy to browse info regarding our Team. Each support/info is free. Support us by clicking the ads located in this site. Thanks
Posts
0 comments :
Post a Comment