Manchester United Corner: Antonio Valencia Reiterates Red Devilsai??i?? Proficiency Down The Wings

By Nipun Malhotra
12 years Ago

Itai??i??s not rocket science, in fact itai??i??s hardly a revelation, nevertheless this Monday night Manchester United once again reaffirmed and divulged to the rest of the football world the secret to their continued success. Still guessing, surely not?

Often berated and regularly criticized for lacking game dictating midfield generals, the United squad has regularly just about got the job done or it may seem to the onlooker. However, there is a definite method to the madness, as surely average teams do not top such a highly competitive league and certainly donai??i??t win league titles.

Built on a midfield axis that provides stability and composure in the form of Carrick and Scholes/Giggs, the cutting edge is provided down the flanks- a philosophy that has always held the Red Devils in a good stead at least domestically. Sharpe, Kanchelskis, Beckham, Giggs, Ronaldo, Nani and now Valencia have been the architects of United successes of the recent past. These wing wizards have added the flair, pace and panache to Fergusonai??i??s sides and often proved to be the ai???coup de graceai??i?? for the opposition.

Giggs & Becks - wide men who made the difference!

To the neutral or even the rivals it may appear that there is no real ai???jizzai??? and ai???oomphai??? with the lack of ai???Tiki-Takaai??? and hardly any threading the needle, yet the ai???United wayai??i?? reaps great rewards against the proverbial parked bus. Tiring the opposition down, stretching the game wide and utilizing the full width of the field, consequently the tired and exhausted minds and bodies of the opposition cave in. Itai??i??s a method in patience, resilience and most importantly belief.

While teams in England and Europe have adopted the 4-2-3-1 or its variant with emphasis on a packed midfield, intricate passing through the middle and width coming from full backs bombing down the wing, Ferguson and Manchester United have typically stuck with their favored 4-4-2, giving up a manai??i??s advantage in midfield but uncompromising the width to their game.

Michael Carrick has been often criticized, even by sections of United support, for the lack of incisiveness in his passing. Ai??His safety first approach of passing down the flanks, rather than the more glamorous defence splitting through ball down the middle has probably deprived him of a place in the United folklore. But the Englishman has done his job rather astutely, curbing the bravado for effectiveness and although it might not win him many admirers, the team benefits from his approach to the game. The philosophy at United is to always make the team greater than the sum of its parts.

The dual threat from the United wingers and the full backs has time and again proved too hot to handle for the opposition defenses. Ergo, Carrick & Scholes have fed the wingers at every opportunity and at the same time tried to maintain possession of the ball by not over indulging in fancy, eye catching stuff, rather balancing defense with attack. The dramatically improved away form this season is indeed a shining example of Unitedai??i??s measured approach.

The statistics also support the point as 70% of United’s attacks are from the wings with the likes of Valencia, Nani, Young and Giggs (whenever he plays there) given the onus to create the goal-scoring opportunities. There is no surprise that these four men are at the top of the assists charts for the Red Devils, with Antonio Valencia leading the pack with 12 assists to his name. In fact, the Ecuadorian is at the zenith of the overall assists chart for the Premier League where he shares the top spot with Man City’s David Silva.

A case in study of width playing its part was the Blackburn game this Monday night, where Ferguson rather strangely opted for a 4-3-3 but found the Blackburn rearguard holding forth as the formation was heavily skewed towards the right with Valencia the only genuine wide player in the starting eleven. With time running out the manager switched things around, enter Giggs and Young and the Rovers defense was stretched to the breaking point.

Trusting The Wings Even During The Closing Stages

One of the biggest qualities of Manchester United over the years have been their patience in the closing stages – even when they are chasing the games. When other teams opt for a change in approach by lofting long balls into opponents’ box in the dying stages, United trust their game by playing the ball around, bringing their wide men into play and waiting for the right moment to get the ball in.Ai??The game against Norwich City this season serves as a perfect example.

With time running out and the opposition holding firm, United refused to panic. Under serious pressure, the players still had the presence of mind to stick to their principles and kept stretching their opponents by playing the ball out wide through either flank. Even with men in the box and one minute of injury time remaining Scholes sprayed the ball out wide to Evra who in-turn passed it on to Ashley Young. Now, with the box overloaded as Giggs and Scholes joined the front-men in the area, Young played a delightful ball towards the back post which was met by Giggs to win the game for United.

Antonio Valencia ai??i?? Orthodox Winger And More

Antonio Valencia ai??i?? the Ecuadorian power house is the flag bearer of the approach, holding the ethos of the club on his broad shoulders. Valenciaai??i??s effectiveness and importance to the Old Trafford club cannot be simply stated in numbers, although stats only reconfirm his growing appeal. 12 assists and 4 goals in as many starts make him one of the most feared opponents in the league as left backs up and down the country would testify.

Often labeled as one dimensional for the lack of his left foot and fancy footwork, Tony V has taken the onus of Unitedai??i??s attacking game play upon himself, as a result majority of Red Devilsai??i?? moves materialize through the right flank. Valencia is, now, perhaps the most lethal weapon in Fergieai??i??s armor and one of Old Traffordai??i??s most beloved sons with his no nonsense attitude and desire to give his all for the shirt.

Itai??i??s not that United have poor options down the left, with Nani, Park, Young and Giggs there is plenty of ammunition in the tank to cause heartache to the opposition defense. So, although many were surprised when Sir Alex brought Ashley Young to the Theatre of Dreams, as most would have preferred a midfield signing, the Scotsman surely knew what he was doing and the results donai??i??t lie. During the course of the season injuries have forced either Valencia or Nani to miss out games and Young has made his presence felt.

Itai??i??s not complicated; there are no complex formulas involved. Itai??i??s about playing to your strengths and maximizing the potential of the squad. Call them average, limited or unspectacular, Ferguson and Manchester United have built an empire around it domestically. Itai??i??s up to the rest of the league to respond to the challenge.

Categories: COVER STORY, Editor's Pick, English Premier League, Manchester United
Tags: Antonio Valencia Manchester United

Trusting The Wings Even During The Closing Stages

Antonio Valencia ai??i?? Orthodox Winger And More

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