Are United missing a trick with Tom Cleverley?
As Sir Alex Ferguson so eloquently pointed out in his pre- match press conference last Friday, we are indeed approaching the ‘silly season’. Ferguson was then referring to questions surrounding the speculation that Real Madrid were preparing a move for Wayne Rooney. However, it works both ways of course, and at present, Manchester United are being linked with every Tom, Dick or Harry going. If we are to believe everything we read in the papers, Ferguson’s transfer strategy basically equates to this:
‘That James Milner’s had a good season! Let’s bid £20m.
‘Hey, Jack Rodwell scored a nice goal against us. Plus he’s made 8 league starts already this season! We better prepare a £20m bid…
‘Phwoar, Gareth Bale’s looked good in the three and a half months he’s started for Spurs. Hey Malcolm, get the cheque book out, we’re bidding… that’s right, £20m baby! Wahooo!’
Whilst Manchester United are in need of some fresh recruits, all they need is a nip and tuck, not the major reconstructive surgery some are suggesting. United are still in with a chance of winning the league, and have already claimed the League Cup for their troubles. Therefore, before the club goes bananas and starts bidding £20m for every player that’s had a half decent season, perhaps Ferguson should choose the upcoming season to bed in a talent that would cost the club zero. Tom Cleverley, a Manchester United youngster currently on-loan at Watford, has been one of the Championship’s brightest stars this season, and if his form at Vicarage Road is anything to go by, United might not need to go out and spend big on another midfielder.
Cleverley, 20, has unfortunately had his season cut short at Vicarage Road owing to knee ligament damage. The player has struggled with injury intermittently throughout his young career, but United will be hopeful the player can avoid injury next term, and continue his fine progress.
This season, Cleverley is top of the Watford goal scoring charts with 11 goals in 35 appearances, whilst the player also claimed five assists for the Hornets. Watford supporters have compared the player with Paul Scholes, but note that he is flexible enough to play anywhere across the midfield. Cleverley has good pace, bags of skill, but is also a tireless worker for the team. Many Premier League youngsters go down to the Championship and, rather than graft for the team, are more interested in showboating and doing the spectacular in a bid to win notoriety (Tottenham Hotspur’s Adel Taarabt anyone?) but Cleverley has combined his ability with an excellent work ethic.
Cleverley’s loan period at Watford has been an undoubted success, with Watford manager Malky Mackay especially appreciative of the player’s contribution before his injury. Mackay told the BBC:
“Since arriving, he has been fantastic for us in every way, not just games but also his attitude and application.
“He’s actually scored goals, he’s set up goals and he’s shown a real willingness to be a team player.”
Cleverley’s ability to dictate play and create opportunities for others is rare in a player so young. Further, the fact that he has not only excelled in the reserves, but also in a league as competitive as the Championship, bodes well for Manchester United.
Tom Cleverley joined Manchester United as a trainee in July 2005, arriving from Bradford City’s youth set-up, which was close to where the boy grew up. Cleverley worked his way through the ranks at United, representing the under 18s and reserves, before being called up to the first team in July 2008 for the club’s pre-season tour of South Africa, and the match against Portsmouth in Nigeria. Cleverley scored on his first team debut against the Kaiser Chiefs on the same tour.
During the 2008/09 season, Cleverley went on loan to Leicester City, where the player made 15 appearances, scoring two goals, and won a League One winners medal with the Midlands club.
Have a look at some of Tom Cleverley’s goals and assists for Watford, England (youth) and Manchester United here on Youtube
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In a word, “no”! SAF has kept close tabs on Cleverly all season and he was invited to the Carling cup final as a Utd player…..I would expect him to be in the Utd first team squad next season…
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I really hope Cleverley will get a chance to prove himself with the first team next season. He has been absolutely brilliant for Watford and I think he’s got what it takes to establish himself at Old Trafford if he is given the opportunity. At the moment, United need a midfielder who can deliver more goals and Cleverley has shown that he can do that at Watford.
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The team needs a nip and tuck? Are you joking – what team have you been watching over the last few years, especially this season?
United are in desperate need of an overhaul in midfield, so much so that Fergie has been required to play 4-5-1 against the better teams, sacrificing Berba along the way and turning him into the team scapegoat, due to the fact the engine room needs shoring up with an extra man.
United clearly has world class talent to burn in the backs an forwards, but when it comes to midfield the side is very pedestrian by comparison, so much so that old stagers like Giggs and Scholes have seen much more playing time than anyone would have envisaged due to the lack of any quality players stamping their authority on the field. Carrick is a flat track bully who only shines against lesser opposition ready and willing to sit back in defense and give him all the time and space he needs to try and orchestrate play – better teams harry him and leave him looking lost. Fletcher is all energy and mongrel but lacks the kind of finesse to really marshal the midfield, and it says something for the dearth of any real talent in midfield that he’s been considered United’s best player in the area over the last season or two. Anderson has real potential but doesn’t seem to have his head in the right place, while Gibson looks too big, slow, and far too enamored with his long-range shooting to be anything more than an occasional goal threat. Hargreaves – who knows? If the guy can ever get back to something approaching the form that brought him to United in the first place he’ll be a force to be reckoned with patrolling the area in front of the back four, but at the moment it seems like a big if.
So as far as your nip and tuck is concerned, the team needs more like major surgery to get it back to where it needs to be where the midfield is concerned. Whether the Glazers are willing to stump up the cash remains to be seen, but United desperately need a midfield enforcer a la Keane to anchor the defense, and an attacking maestro to orchestrate the attack, provide the much needed link to the forwards, and take United away from the one-dimensional football they’ve been forced to play this year of constantly spreading it to the wingers in lieu of any real threat or drive through the middle of the paddock.
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I agree with everything Timbo has said. As a hardcore fan, nothing has frustrated me more, especially the last couple of seasons, despite winning trophies. The midfield is bossed against bigger opponents i.e. Barcelona when the likes of Xavi and Iniesta’s quality simply outshined the likes of Carrick and Fletcher. Carrick this season has been the biggest dissapointment and although it’s unlikely he will be sold I feel he is nothing more than average. Anderson, as stated does have potential, but he needs to get his head down, focus and want to perform consistently rather than once every 5/6 games. It’s clear that Giggs and Scholes will enjoy their last season next year and it’s a pity to see them relied on so heavily this year, considering they were supposed to be bit part players, yet together they have made almost 75 appearances in all competitions. It will be interesting to see how the Hargreaves situation pans out and I would love to see him perhaps make a substitute appearance in the closing 3 games. With the league on a knife edge, it’s unlikely though that he will be risked, given his lack of fitness. Therefore, Carrick must go and a top quality playmaker needs to be signed, someone in the mould of Kaka/Diego/Lampard, although the latter hurts to say. Other than Ronaldo, we have struggled to see a midfielder get anything over 10 goals in all competitions. We need someone who can get us 15-20 goals from midfield, make regular assists etc. A future number 1 is also crucial with VDS last season next year and neither Foster or Kuszcak have quite made the grade. Hugo Lloris from Lyon looks an amazing talent, however the likes of Frey, Akinfeev and Neuer are all also top keepers and for me signable. And of course we need a striker, I was hoping this year the likes of Macheda and Welbeck would get more chances to showcase their talent, but i’m still unsure of the futures of these two, especially the latter. Furthermore, I hope SAF looks to his youth and the likes of Cleverly and Petrucci whom have looked fantastic. So, to summarise I don’t quite agree with a nip and tuck, there are for me 1-2 top quality midfielders, 1 striker and keeper required for next season to mount any serious challenge again in Europe and to stand a chance of winning the EPL, given how competitive and close this year has been. The likes of Arsenal, Tottenham, Man City, Liverpool, Everton and Villa are all slowly but surely closing the gap and taking points from us each season, it’s time for the gap to be widened that little bit more!
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bollocks timbo. no doubt midfield in a weakness but so is up front, berbatov was left out for the big games because he’s been total crap in big games even since last season, and united played much better without him with the 4-4-3.
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..or with the 4-3-3, rather.
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with the 4-3-3, rather.
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Er, Matt – Fletcher didn’t play against Xavi and Iniesta, so they’d have done well to outshine him.
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I agree Cleverly has been terrific this season for Watford. Hopefully he will get his chance next season. In the last two seasons he has done well in both League 1 and the Championship. There is alot of hype around James Milner, and rightly so, but I just wonder if we have a player of that potential in Cleverly. He can play across midfield, he works hard and is capable of scoring and creating goals. The club is built on young players and bringing through our own. Its always enjoyable when we sign players, but its alot better when they come through your own youth system. We have seen with Berbatov and Anderson that big money transfers aren’t always better. I have a feeling we will be seeing more of Cleverly and Gibson next season. We could also see Corry Evans and Oliver Norwood getting some games.
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i agree with what timbo was saying and i really hope to se cleverly do some damage for the club as much i hope gibson will be raped and murderd by a pack of dogs
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