Man Utd 2009/10 preview

Mark Buckingham assesses whether Man Utd can win the title for a fourth year in a row following the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo

Last updated: 12th August 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Man Utd 2009/10 preview
Star Man: Wayne Rooney
With Ronaldo gone, and a central role promised, Rooney is expected to flourish and he can thrive on the increased responsibility over the coming months.
One to Watch: Federico Macheda
Burst on to the scene with a dramatic winner against Aston Villa last season and with Ferguson seemingly against sending the Italian teenager out on loan he can expect his share of opportunities.
Fantasy Football pick Dimitar Berbatov (£7.2m). Hard to pick one of great value, but Berbatov should weigh in with enough goals and assists to provide a valuable contribution.
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
The United boss has another landmark in his sights and his ability to keep his players fresh, enthusiastic and up for the challenge remains unparalleled.
INS: Michael Owen (Newcastle), Antonio Valencia (Wigan), Gabriel Obertan (Bordeaux), Mame Biram Diouf (Molde).
OUTS: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Fraizer Campell (Sunderland), Manucho (Real Valladolid), Lee Martin (Ipswich), Richard Eckersley (Burnley), Rodrigo Possebon (Sporting Braga - loan), .
Best signing: Michael Owen.
Sky Bet Odds: 9/4
Likely top scorer: Wayne Rooney.
Possible best XI: Van der Sar; Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Valencia, Carrick, Fletcher, Park; Rooney, Berbatov.
Predicted finish: 1st

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Creating history is the challenge lying in wait for Manchester United this season as the Premier League champions aim to overcome the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo to become the first team to win the title four seasons in a row.

United completed a hat-trick of crowns last term for the second time in the Premier League era, but coping without the prodigious talents of Cristiano Ronaldo, and to a much lesser extent than some fans may believe, Carlos Tevez, will be a stern test for Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

Having matched Liverpool's landmark of 18 top-flight titles, United head into the 2009/10 campaign with the aim of claiming that record outright and in the knowledge that their old rivals will be among their biggest challengers after being pushed so close last season.

Is the pressure on United greater this season because they are champions and chasing an unprecedented four in a row? Or is the expectation lessened by the fact no team has ever achieved such a feat?

Poser

That question could perhaps be left for another day, with Ferguson's biggest poser of the summer how to replace another poser in the guise of Ronaldo, who has eventually fulfilled his dream of joining Real Madrid.

Keeping Ronaldo last season merely delayed the inevitable and, whenever the deal was actually agreed, at least United saved themselves the mind-numbing tedium of 12 months ago by quickly announcing the Portuguese winger's departure for a mind-boggling fee of £80million.

Ronaldo, for all that he threw in a few stinkers and tantrums last season, will be nigh on impossible to replace and Ferguson has gone for a different type of player to patrol the right wing in Antonio Valencia.

The Ecuador international has arrived from Wigan and showed flashes of what he can bring to the table in pre-season in terms of his crossing ability and willingness to put a shift in defensively.

But perhaps the biggest gain from Ronaldo's sale, aside from the contribution to the Glazer family's interest repayments, is that it may allow Wayne Rooney to flourish in a central position after the England man spent large parts of last season on the wing to accommodate the wanderings of his former team-mate.

Rooney has looked sharp in pre-season in such a role and has linked up well with both the much-maligned Dimitar Berbatov and new signing Michael Owen, even if it took until the Valencia friendly for the England duo to be on the pitch at the same time at club level.

Berbatov is also expected to enjoy a more productive season, although the statistics will show he was not as disappointing as some would lead you to believe following his arrival from Tottenham after he scored nine times in the Premier League and created 10 for his team-mates.

The Bulgarian got a bad press from United fans last season compared to the idolised Tevez, yet the Argentine's actual contribution was not as meaningful as Berbatov's. Anyone can run around for 90 minutes, but sometimes you need a player who does something out of the ordinary and it is hard to believe Owen won't surpass Tevez's tally of five league goals.

Owen's arrival at Old Trafford was perhaps one of the biggest transfer surprises in recent times, but the more you analyse the situation, the more astute a signing it is from Ferguson, with the former Liverpool striker costing nothing and having everything to prove. If you're looking for someone to nick a goal in the last 10 minutes, then Owen is still the best English striker in the business at fulfilling that role.

The depth of United's squad remains arguably their key strength and, while they were occasionally found wanting against their chief rivals last season, and against Barcelona in the Champions League final, they have the knack of beating the teams in the bottom half of the table and rarely drop points at home.

Defensive worries

Injuries to the defence was a concern for United last season and the new campaign seems to be starting off on a similar footing with veteran goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar out for eight weeks with a broken finger. Ben Foster should start the season and it is hoped a proper run of games will help the England international to overcome the odd bout of jitters that has threatened to damage his reputation.

Nemanja Vidic is also a fitness worry, but Jonny Evans is a more than able deputy, so the main worry is at right-back, with Rafael, Gary Neville and Wes Brown all struggling. Unlike Patrice Evra on the left, John O'Shea does not offer the same threat going forward on the right and United certainly suffer when the likes of Rafael are not available.

Midfield contains a mix of unrivalled experience and unfulfilled promise, with Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes reaching the twilight of their careers and Anderson and Nani beginning a third season at United and yet to conclusively prove they can be long-term fixtures.

Michael Carrick tries to orchestrate from a deep lying position, while Darren Fletcher offers the energy, but United will certainly benefit from the return of Owen Hargreaves, hopefully this side of Christmas. The other midfield concern is the absence of a player who supports the strikers in the mould of Frank Lampard and, following the departure of Ronaldo, Ferguson is certainly expecting his midfielders to weigh in with more goals.

Overall, United are undoubtedly a weaker team on paper than last season following Ronaldo's sale, yet paper teams only win paper trophies. The signings of Valencia and Owen have given the Red Devils a greater balance and also what looks to be a happier squad. With Rooney primed to play a pivotal role, and Ferguson having plenty of options at his disposal, United remain the team to catch, and then surpass.

Betting

Sky Bet's Dale Tempest says: "Man Utd are 2/1 joint favourites with Chelsea to win the title. There are negatives and positives all round about Sir Alex's side. They've got to replace the goals of Ronaldo, Owen at 10/1 from 25/1 to be the League's top scorer, could do that and I think Valencia is a good addition. The big plus about United is their defence hasn't changed - who can forget that record breaking clean sheet run they went on in the middle of the season, that probably won them the Premier League and they won't be far away. Year in year out you know they are going to be competitive so if I was going to have a bet it would be on United."

How do you think Man Utd will get on? Let us know using the form below.

Comments (15)

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James Cagney (Manchester United fan) says...

Rooney and Berbatov's best work is done outside of the penalty area so its a big ask to expect them to bang in goals all of a sudden. There's much better finishers out there. That means there's added pressure on our defence; lucky that we have the best back-line in the world; no arguement. If Carlo gets the diamond formation right at Chelsea then winning the Prem' might be tough this time round. They have more players that can make the difference and with Joe Cole on his way back they will be very good.

Posted 19:17 13th August 2009

Arvin Teelwah (Manchester United fan) says...

Dont forget that we have won the league 3 times WHILE MATURING young players at the same time when Chelsea had already matured! So I can firmly see our young players getting better and having this persistent edge over Chelsea even without Ronaldo. Valencia will compensate!

Posted 17:55 13th August 2009

Andy Sallis (Manchester United fan) says...

This is going to be one of the closest run titles for years,manu are still strong enough to win,but hot on their heels will be chelsea,Liverpool. I see Owen doing well and scoring 15+ and getting his place back in the England team. I see a dog fight for 4th between Man city,Arsenal,Villa and Spurs. Going down pompy,hull and then 1 from blackburn,stoke and bolton. I don`t think any british team will win euro-cup I can only see Real Madrid winning that. FA cup either Arsenal,Man City or Spurs League cup Liverpool or Villa.

Posted 16:26 13th August 2009

Zaib Khan (Chelsea fan) says...

You will miss Ronaldo's goals and the energy of Tevez. Carlo Ancelotti will show 'Fergie' how to conquer England, Europe and the World. The new treble winners.....CHELSEA!

Posted 15:54 13th August 2009

Andrew Lee (Manchester United fan) says...

I am convinced United will win the league again although I expect we won't fair quite as well int he Champions League this season. While we are weaker without Ronaldo, we will have better balance this year and will have players playing in their prefered positions. Undoubtedly some will have to step up to the plate and deliver above last season but Nani will be hungry for it and it will be good for him to step out of the shadow of Ronaldo and Rooney has always been a big game player. Berbatov who is not a favourite has a decent goal scoring record till last season will play further up top and will be looking to prove the critics wrong and so I can see him bagging 12-15 in the league. It's whether we will have enough guile and wizardry to beat some of the big european teams. Surely Barca and Real Madrid will be there or there abouts in the Champions League and United will need to do much better than they did in Rome if they are to win it again. Looking around, Chelsea are still the team for us to beat but are ageing, Arsenal if anything are a weaker side but if kept fit will take fourth and Liverpool who always fall just short in recent years will continue the trend and will largely be carried by Gerrard and Torres. United is a safe bet but they will always cause some drama...it's in their nature.

Posted 13:01 13th August 2009

Homzie D (Manchester United fan) says...

I can see why most 'experts' have written United off even before the season has begun. The loss of CR7 (now CR9) is a big loss but, United are more than just Cristiano Ronaldo. Just because we have not spent big, that doesn't mean that we are not favourites for the title and suddenly City are title challengers? Its rediculous! We were winning titles before Ronaldo and we will continue to win titles (whether the experts like it or not). Let me remind those who have written us off that football is not played on paper but on the pitch (if it was, City would be champions with Chelsea second). All my fellow Red Devils, have faith in Sir Alex, the team will be motivated enough to win us more trophies. Fergie will surely unearth another gem, believe me. How many times have these doubters proved wrong by 'Fergie's fledglings'? This is my top 8 - 1. Utd, 2. Chelsea, 3. Liv, 4. Ars, 5. Everton, 6. Villa, 7. CIty and 8. Spurs. C'mon you reds, prove the doubters wrong once again by winning titles!

Posted 09:26 13th August 2009

Luke Townsend (Manchester United fan) says...

Its really hard to predict this year as chelsea look really strong but i think man utd will just edge it by maybe a point or so. my predictions for top 5 are as follows:- 1. man utd 2. chelsea 3 liverpool 4 man city 5 arsenal

Posted 08:13 13th August 2009

Aju Ashok (Manchester United fan) says...

Good article. Without Ronaldo and his trantrums Man Utd will be a happy team and one desperate to prove that Man U is not a one man team...I see a better and meaner Man Utd this season...Glory Glory Man U...

Posted 06:10 13th August 2009

Benjamin Merson (Manchester United fan) says...

People are talking too much about the absence of "Ronaldo's goals" as if taking Ronaldo out of the side is an automatic subtraction of the goals he contributed last term. When analyzing a football team with personnel changes, the entire dynamic of play-making and chance-creating has to be taken into account, as well as the ability of the players on the pitch to take those chances. Ronaldo did not create all his goals on his own, but was often simply in a position to take the chances United as a whole created, not to mention the 17 strikes he notched on penalties won mostly by players other than Ronaldo (who couldn't get a call in Premiership to save his life). It should also be born in mind that Ronaldo doesn't always have the greatest decision-making, and is ever-inclined to prefer personal glory over team prosperity, so it can be argued that at times he robbed his teammates of goals (sometimes bagging them himself, though not uncommonly losing possession and breaking up the United attack). Ronaldo is, arguably, the best player in the world, and United naturally benefited from his presence, but having such a player also encouraged United to formulate it's attacks around Ronaldo's strengths, such as his speed on the break. In the absence of Ronaldo, though Rooney might be the obvious stand-out, the quality throughout the team should be allowed to manifest itself with better all-around play, bolstered by greater team harmony and a smoother, more fluid brand of football. So the question is, will United's defense be the same record-breaking group as it was last year? Yes. In fact, it should be stronger with the eventual return of Hargreaves and with Valencia's willingness to track back as Ronaldo was often hesitant to do. Will Rooney, Berbatov, Owen, Scholes, Carrick, Anderson, Giggs, Valencia, Nani, and Park be able to create chances as freely as last season? Of course. We'll see if they put them away...

Posted 04:52 13th August 2009

Dylan Hennigan (Manchester United fan) says...

A fair prediction by all accounts, but I personally think United's new winger - Antonio Valencia will do much more than people think, also Anderson scoring more & taking the free kicks (as well as Giggs, Nani & Valencia). With Tosic, Giggsy, Valencia Obertan, Ljajič & Nani all able to play down the wing with Evra & Park United will be Unstoppable! They are already odds on to win Prem, Champ LGE, Fa cup & Carling ! Best team ever. Prem Pos. End Of Season; MUTD 1 CHEL 2 LIVER 3 AS VILLA 4 EVERT 5 ARSEN 6 TOTTHS 7 POMPY 8 MANCITY 9 WESTHM 10... ect. ROO TOP GL SCORER

Posted 23:38 12th August 2009

Rich Evans (Manchester United fan) says...

Right Back is actually one of our deepest positions. Assuming all are fit - we have the experience of O'Shea, Brown & Neville mixed with the youth and sheer talent of Rafael, Fabio & De Laet - with any of the names mentioned able to fill in in a pinch.

Posted 23:06 12th August 2009

Stuart Hunter (Manchester United fan) says...

Just read the part "best 11".....i have to disagree with the chosen 11. It should be; van der saar (gk), Rafael (rb), Vidic (cb), Ferdinand (cb), Evra (lb), Nani (lw), Anderson (cam), Hargreaves (cdm), Valencia (rw), Rooney (cf), Macheda (st). Lets face it, carrick is actualy one of our worst players, all he can do is pass, and that is it really...... Whereas, anderson can pass, tackle, can run for 90 mins, and takes one hell of a free kick.......... Although i really like fletcher, hargreaves is the master of defencive midfielding, easily one of best midfielders!!!! Onto nani.......i picked him over park for many reasons; he can score, he has the best crossing ability in world football by far, he's lightning fast, and he takes great corners..........now.....onto park......he's a midgit of a player, he can't score, has below average crossing ability..........and the list goes on......................... I don't think i really need to explain why i picked macheda....... He's by far our best finisher, he provides much needed height, and he has great first touch........ Don't get me wrong, i really like berba, he's a class act........but i see macheda being one of the clubs top scorers in the next year or so...... Overall, i don't think man utd need to worry too much about losing ronaldo, but so long as we go without another world class player like him, we can forget about trebles and quadruples, as the fa cup and premiership are the only realistic targets this year................

Posted 22:27 12th August 2009

Emeka Forde (Manchester United fan) says...

It is good to see that there are some who can see past the gloom of ronaldos sale.yes of course he is an impossible man to replace with another individual.Even if for namesake we would have picked up ribery or messi,there is no complete player like ronaldo,point blank.But Sir Alex knows this and that is why we now have a squad that will for me work better for each other.Last year we revolved all of our play around ronaldo and other players suffered,mainly rooney.But this year with valencia on the wing,owen getting goals,berbatov looking a lot better and dare i say anderson putting in free kicks like he did in pre season,i do not see us in a "weak" position like people make out.Also,about owen.If he stays fit and play 25 games,you can not honestly say that he will not get 15-20 goals.rooney will get at least 10 more and so will berbatov.Also we have to watch out for the emergence of macheda who will become a very special player.watch out.man u this year

Posted 18:04 12th August 2009

Steve Lloyd (Manchester United fan) says...

I think we need to have a better keeper than Foster or Kuscak to replace Edwin, and now is the time to get him in. It'd be horrible going through a dodgy period again, as we did when Schmeiks left, with a succesion of night-quite-good-enough keepers.. Tomas is a good fill in keeper, and I'm surprised he didn't get the nod over Ben, who looks shakey at times and doesn't in my opinion deserve the good press he gets from Fergie. I think the outfield is good enough......just. I'd like to see Possebon back, competing for a place, and Owen Hargreaves playing for Citeh, we really don't need him, and never did. Gibson's maturing nicely, and there are some fine young players pushing to make their mark. Hopefully Macheda will improve this season as well. Danny Welbeck is a better player for me though.

Posted 18:00 12th August 2009

Sunny Sidhu (Manchester United fan) says...

man u 2 win the league with anderson being our new goalscoring sensation.

Posted 17:05 12th August 2009
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