Is the Hargreaves the missing link for Fergie?

Since the never ending transfer saga back in 2007, Owen Hargreaves’ £17 million move from Bayern Munich has only seen him play a handful of games at United. The delayed transfer has seen a suitably long layoff for Hargreaves, spending most of his career at Old Trafford on the operating table, or crocked on the sidelines.

The recurring knee injury that has plagued Hargreaves throughout his career has seen him make only 37 appearances for United, but he has still earned himself the reputation of a tenacious and hard working midfielder. Hargreaves has since had career saving surgery on both of his knees and is set to make a return in the coming weeks; he could just be Fergie’s knight in shining armour.

The last few weeks have seen United come in for some major criticism over some below-par performances, even Alex Ferguson describing their performance against Leeds as ‘shocking’.  United could have taken a strangle hold on the league leaders after Chelsea dropped points, but instead have performed just as badly and dropped some crucial points that may come back to haunt them come the end of the season. Injuries aside, United have a squad that should be able to cope easily with some missing players. It was only last season that the phrase on everyone’s lips was ‘strength in depth,’ which seems to have all but vanished so far this season.

Luckily for United, Wayne Rooney is thriving under the ever increasing burden being placed on his shoulders, but it can’t last forever and at some point there will be a time he can’t be relied on. It can be very worrying when a team becomes so reliant on one players ability, we have all seen what has happened over at Anfield with their dependency on Torres and Gerrard to perform.

In the 90’s United could boast having one of the best midfields in Europe with legends like Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs forming formidable partnerships at the heart of the team. Since the departure of Roy Keane there has never really been a suitable replacement in the centre midfield roll. The missing link in centre midfield has been more telling than ever this season, with United rarely showing the creativity and dominance we’re accustomed to.

As well as Ferguson having to try and contest with key players out through injury, there are also players in the squad who are not pulling their weight, showing what looks like a distinct lack of passion and performances are slipping. Players like Anderson, who on some recent performances looks like he doesn’t deserve to be in a United shirt. Anderson has at times shown the panache and vision of a top class attacking midfielder, but it’s his wild shooting and straying passes that creep into his game all too often. It may just be that Fergie needs to show more faith in Anderson – who let’s not forget is still only 21. A good run in the team, without being continually substituted may be all he needs to fulfill the potential he has shown.

When Hargreaves returns he will have the chance to really step up to the plate and give the United fans what they really want. Hargreaves has already shown just what he is capable of, if he can string a run of games together. At the back end of the 2007/08 campaign Hargreaves had a run of games which produced some tireless and satisfying performances that saw him become an Old Trafford favourite. He capped off the season with a successful display in the Champions League final victory.

Someone to pass the ball well and break down the opposition midfield is what has been missing from the squad, and Hargreaves is more than capable of stepping up to the mark. If Hargreaves can keep fit when he returns, He’s sure to be a main feature in the United midfield and will surely play a huge part if they go on to retain the Premier League title.

In the last couple of seasons Darren Fletcher has gone from being one of the most disliked players amongst United fans, to one of the most dependable and hard working individuals in the premiership. When Darren Fletcher was the butt-end of many jokes on the Stretford End, Fergie kept his faith and it has paid off in abundance.

If Hargreaves and Fletcher can form a strong midfield partnership, it would be exciting to see what Anderson could do if given a free roll in the centre of the park. There is no question Anderson has the ability, it’s just utilising him in the correct way to get the best from him. If he could get forward more and not have the worry of getting back, I think we’d see a more creative and confident player. At the minute there is far too much defensive responsibility put onto Anderson, which may be why his recent performances have been dwindling.

With Fletcher’s hard hitting and no nonsense approach to playing football and Owen Hargreaves’  work horse ethic, it might just be the quality midfield partnership that United have been lacking recently. This partnership coupled with Anderson’s talent to get forward and cause problems, may be the dimension that is lacking in United’s midfield.

With the Premier League now entering the ‘business end’ of the season, where United traditionally perform better, we’ll see if it’s time to ignore all the tabloid criticism, or if it’s really time to panic.

By Josh Burns