I am struggling as to why so many seem so reluctant to give the credit for our sexy football to the Ando and TC partnership. We did not play that way before they were paired together and have not played anywhere near as effectively since the break up of that duo.
Yes, TC was injured in the Bolton game, and we still played well, but i believe the tone had already been set in that game, as the performance of Anderson inidcated. His performances since TC's injury have gotten progressively worse, as have the teams in general. We were still open defensively when they were paired together, but our offensive prowess significantly outweighed any defensive frailities.
That is no longer the case, against Norwich we were back to last year, pedestrian, unimaginative and predictable in attack. Only now the defensive frailties are increasingly becoming more of a concern.
I have long suggested that a complimentary partnership in midfield is what this team needs, as our fully fit defence and strikeforce is quite formidable. What we need now and have needed for a long time is an energetic, mobile and high quality link between the forwards and defence, which TC and Ando duly provided.
It may well be piling unnecessary pressure on TC when he comes back, but it has to be noted that since his inclusion, Anderson has looked the player we all hoped he could be, and the whole team benefitted greatly from their enthusiasm and energy. Since his injury Anderson has looked more like the player from the past 2 seasons than the one that started this season so well.
Young's form has dipped, so has Rooney's and even Nani is performing below his earlier standard. All coincidences? Possible, but unlikely imo.
Is that a coincidence, i don't think so. Anderson's pre season was deemed by many as the reason for his good start, it has obviously helped, but his form has looked nothing like his first few games when he played with TC. The midfield are now once again struggling to provide either quality attacking support or increased defensive stability with the players we have had available since TC's injury, just as we did last season.
I have said many times the midfield provides the platform for the other areas of the team to perform at their best. The tone is set by those in the middle, either positively or negatively. The fact we now look like we did so often last year, must strongly inidcate that it is indeed simply a question of personnel rather than tactics.
This current midfield provides the same options it has provided for the last few years, therefore surely the introduction of Cleverley, coupled with the effect his presence has had on Anderson, can reasonably be credited with having the most significant and positive effect, both on the team and changing the dimensions of our play.
