All posts by h79snht.top

That short era in Arsene Wenger’s time which strictly followed the youth policy to combat stronger powers appears to be as good as over. The poster boy for that period just following the move into the Emirates Stadium has returned to Barcelona, Samir Nasri moved for the greener grass at Manchester City, Denilson is out, Carlos Vela too, Nicklas Bendtner, and Theo Walcott may well have been the last and final piece to leave the club this year.

Good riddance to all bar one or two? Well not really. Bendtner was always a bit of a handful but is undoubtedly far more talented and useful than many options Arsenal currently have. Carlos Vela is currently showing with Real Sociedad what he can do with a consistent run in the first-team—something he was never afforded while in north London. And then there’s Havard Nordtveit, the Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder who is excelling in the Bundesliga after never making an appearance for Arsenal in the Premier League.

Wenger has of course made a couple of bad calls during his time as manager, one being the idea to use Denilson for such a lengthy spell in the starting XI without much return, or the decision to push Emmanuel Eboue further up the field into the right-wing position. But Nordtveit’s performances in Germany should be a cause for some regret on the manager’s part.

The Norwegian was of course a part of Lucian Favre’s side who stormed up the Bundesliga table to finish in fourth, ahead of Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburg, who in contrast had a terrible season. Gladbach did so playing some fantastic football on the way, too. Marco Reus was the star player in a team who were subsequently dismantled this past summer by the bigger clubs in Germany, only to be replaced by players who were unfamiliar with life in the Bundesliga.

There have been a number of bright spots this season for The Foals, most notably Marc-Andre ter Stegen. But Havard Nordtveit has also displayed the kind of maturity and stability that Arsenal have been crying out for in the middle of the park.

There’s been nothing wrong with Mikel Arteta’s performances this season for Wenger’s side, but there’s often a feeling that the team do need a genuine stay-at-home defensive midfielder.

It’s always pleasant to watch Nordtveit and the decisions he makes on the field. He knows when stay back and hold his position in the deep midfield position, playing the important role as the first line of defence and breaking up opposition attacks. But such is his understanding of the defensive midfield position that he also knows when to push forward and complement the attack.

It’s coincidental that at this time it appears Arsene Wenger is on the lookout for a player who can perform well in the defensive midfield position and centre-half. With Johan Djourou on the way out of the club and Sebastian Squillaci unwanted, the desire has been to chase a player who can fill in when two of the three prominent centre-back names are out but who can also add another body to the midfield. Nordtveit’s defensive awareness has shown him to play the centre-back position extremely well, while his size and ball-playing ability means he could have been a success if he was dropped into the Arsenal team now.

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The fee Gladbach spent on the player should be seen as nothing short of robbery from Arsenal’s perspective, as any player switching clubs for just under £1 million and going on the develop in the way he has should be seen as nothing less.

Wenger has always moved to avoid re-signing former players, and largely you can understand why. But if the club did insert a buyback clause into the sale, Nordtveit would be a fantastic addition to the current Arsenal team.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will go head to head with Atletico Madrid for the signing of Lyon ace Yoann Gourcuff according to talkSPORT.

Wenger is keen to add more stability to his midfield with Jack Wilshere in need of rest and the likes of Abou Diaby and Mikel Arteta constantly struggling with injuries.

Gourcuff has failed to rediscover his younger form since he joined Lyon in 2010 and the French club are happy to allow the midfielder to leave on loan if the price is right.

Arsenal and Atletico would both be interested in a loan deal until the end of the season with a view to a permanent switch if he impresses.

La Liga club Atletico have already spoken with Lyon about the possibility of a loan but club agent Nikola Franco has revealed that a loan fee of in the region of £2.5million would be out of the question if a deal was to happen this month.

“Atletico are interested in Yoann Gourcuff,” he told L’Equipe.

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“But the club does not want to discuss a loan fee with Lyon. The only option proposed by Atletico is a free loan with a purchase option at the end of the season.”

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Roma starlet Erik Lamela is unlikely to join Manchester United this summer, according to his agent Pablo Sabbag.

The Argentine has been linked with the Premier League leaders in recent weeks, as manager Sir Alex Ferguson looks to step up his transfer plans ahead of the end of the season.

A wide attacking midfielder is believed to be one of his priorities, leading to links with Lamela, who is regarded as one of the finest young talents in Serie A.

But Sabbag, who claims to have a working relationship with the Red Devils, feels that it is too early to be talking about his client’s future, and played down suggestions that he could be moving to Old Trafford:

“No, there is no truth in that (a move to United) at all,” he is quoted by talkSPORT via Gazzetta Giallorossa.

“For the moment, there is no offer from Manchester United.

“Obviously I have a relationship with them, but we have never discussed this particular topic. It’s the same with Roma, a club I have a continuous relationship with.

“It’s just too soon to be talking about the transfer market.”

Lamela has notched an impressive 11 goals in 21 league appearances for Roma this season, despite the capital club struggling domestically.

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The 20-year-old was dubbed the ‘new Lionel Messi’ early in his career, but his development has slowed slightly since his move to Europe from River Plate.

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England manager Roy Hodgson believes that qualification for the 2014 World Cup will not hinge on their clash with Montenegro.

The Three Lions return to international action in just over a week’s time to face San Marino, before playing the Eastern Europeans four days later.

Montenegro currently lead Group H by two points, a position that England would like to be in due to it guaranteeing a place in the tournament set to be hosted in Brazil.

But, Hodgson played down the importance of their imminent clash with the leaders, insisting that it is too early to suggest that qualification is dependant on their result at the Stadion Pod Goricom:

“(The next qualifiers) are obviously very important when you’ve only got 10 matches to qualify and only one team can qualify,” he is quoted by Sky Sports.

“We have got three teams who can (qualify), with respect to San Marino, and when you play against those teams like Montenegro, Poland and the Ukraine the result is obviously of vital importance.

“With six matches to play, I would refute that the match (against Montenegro) would be decisive.”

However, he did admit that a positive result would help England’s chances of guaranteeing a place in the 2014 tournament:

“We go there to win and if we can win there, we do make our cause in the autumn that little bit easier.”

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England have managed two wins and two draws in their opening four matches, beating Moldova and San Marino and securing a point apiece in their games with Poland and Ukraine.

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Stoke are sweating on the fitness of Matthew Etherington and Marc Wilson, who could miss the rest of the season through injury.

Despite Saturday’s win at Queens Park Rangers, the Potters still need points to ensure Premier League survival and the news comes as a big blow to boss Tony Pulis, who needs all hands on deck.

Wilson suffered a recurrence of his hamstring problem at Loftus Road and was forced to leave the field, while Etherington did not even make the squad as a back problem keeps him on the sidelines.

Pulis is clearly concerned about both players but admits it does not look good.

“Both of them are having intensive treatment and it’s a case of keeping everything crossed for them,” Pulis revealed. “They are clearly a concern, and at this stage we don’t know when, or if, they will be back.”

There are also concerns over the fitness of striker Cameron Jerome, who injured his ankle against QPR and is already an early doubt for this weekend’s clash with Norwich.

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New Manchester United manager David Moyes is planning a £25million bid for Cesc Fabregas, according to the Express.

The Former Arsenal midfielder has been targeted as a priority for United, who want to strengthen their midfield after losing Paul Scholes to retirement, and with question marks still over the health of Darren Fletcher.

But although Arsenal have first priority on Fabregas if Barcelona want to sell, it appears the Spaniard would want a fresh challenge if he was to return to England.

Fabregas has only scored 10 goals in his 30 league appearances this season, as the Catalan club regained the La Liga title from Real Madrid.

And if Moyes can’t sign the Barcelona midfielder, then he will turn his attention to Real Madrid’s Luka Modric.

Both players have struggled to get regular first team action since they left the Premier League.

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Everton midfielder Fellaini has also been linked with a move to United, but it seems Fabregas is Moyes’ priority.

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Andy Carroll’s £15million move to West Ham has cemented his place as the most cumulatively expensive English player of all time, with his transfer fees totalling a whopping £50million.

Say what you want regarding the lanky striker’s quality and whether the enormous sums spent on him throughout his career are deserved, but few would begrudge him a place at Upton Park – the Hammers appear to be at the level that Carroll requires at this point in his career, and Sam Allardyce’s direct, organised and hard-working brand of football epitomises his unique qualities.

But if the £15million price-tag was reasonable to say the least, with former club Liverpool accepting a costly loss on their misguided £35million investment, the concern undoubtedly comes in regards to Carroll’s wages. The West Ham front man has been handed a bumper contract, but should the Upton Park faithful be alarmed by such a huge financial venture in a single player?

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The former Newcastle forward’s deal is a six year contract, with a salary of £100k per week, according to The Sun, and other mainstream newspapers. Should Carroll see out his full tenure at Upton Park, the total bill for his services will be around the £30million mark, and rather worryingly, it’s a pay rise of £20k per week from his previous arrangement with Liverpool. It’s the kind of salary you’d expect at a club battling regularly for European qualification, and although Big Sam and the West Ham board have stated their ambitions to rapidly improve as they enter a new era of the club’s history with their move to the Olympic stadium, there is still a long way to go in terms of raising the level of quality before they are challenging the likes of Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal or Tottenham any time soon.

Similarly, although Allardyce clearly has an undying faith in his towering target man, Carroll’s highest goal tally for any Premier League season came at his final year at Newcastle, where he recorded 11 goals in 17 appearances for the Magpies. Excluding his one year in the Championship, the 24 year old is yet to venture into double figures, with just 11 goals throughout his two seasons at Anfield and only seven from his year-long loan with West Ham. The Hammers boss is confident that Carroll could have broken the ten goal barrier had he remained fully fit this season, but there is still a risk in investing in a striker that has had just six months of noteworthy success, in terms of his statistics at least, in the English top flight.

Furthermore, the Hammers could fall curse to a perpetual problem that occurs with loan signings looking for a new home – they are desperate to impress whilst their future hangs delicately in the balance, but as soon as their next pay cheque is secured, the pressure to put in good performances diminishes. Carroll is a determined and aggressive professional, but making him the highest earner at Upton Park is unlikely to motivate him any further.

That being said, there is some weight behind the argument of making Carroll feel like a star player. Through no fault of his own, the occasional England international has come under widespread criticism from the British media and the Anfield faithful for his inability to regularly find the net, and whilst some players need the stick to keep them on edge, others need the carrott, and a more loving approach – a style of man-management the striker has lacked in abundance over the last three years.

Similarly, he is very much the human epitome of the Big Sam ethos. His height, power and aggression tells you all you need to know about how West Ham currently play their football, with an emphasis on aerial ability, physical robustness, work-rate and taking chances from dead-ball situations.

Likewise, although his goal to game ratio since moving to East London may not be prolific, Carroll’s influence in the final third has undoubtedly contributed more to the Hammers’ 45 Premier League goals this year than the striker’s four assists might suggest. There were countless occasions last season where Carroll’s sheer lofty presence caused enough confusion in the opponents’ penalty area, with often both opposing centre-backs attempting to confront him in the air, to allow room for his team-mates to exploit.

Kevin Nolan is by large the biggest benefactor, playing in a supporting role behind the lanky forward and making his customary late runs into the box; a simple tactic that provided him with ten Premier League goals this year. The combining dynamic of the two former Newcastle men was vital to West Ham’s top half finish, and it will have equal importance on results in the coming campaign.

Furthermore, seeing as Carroll has become an integral spearhead for the Hammers this season, it makes sense to tie him down for his best years. The striker’s contract wont wind down until he’s 30, whilst if the permanent move doesn’t work out as planned, it allows for Carroll to retain some resale value in the transfer market, without the usual scheming of clubs waiting for players to reach the final year of their contract before making a bid.

But it’s clear to see that so far in his career, Carroll has done little to justify a £100k salary package. The stats don’t lie, and for a striker, the Englishman’s current goal record does not stand up to divisional rivals, who by in large, will not command such a hefty weekly fee for their services.

That being said, how many proven alternatives are available to the West Ham gaffer? Their pursuit of Alvaro Negredo was always naive, even if the Sevilla forward could be available at a reduced rate this summer. He’s seen Carroll’s strengths and weaknesses, and has in many ways already forged a first team around the striker’s abilities. Sometimes in football you have to adhere to player’s demands, should they be the only available candidate who can fulfill an intrinsic and vital role.

But it’s a big gamble on Sam Allardyce’s part – they are unlikely to decline with Carroll’s influence, but it is difficult to tell what the next step will be in terms of improvement, without seriously altering the way the Hammers play, which could render the Englishman’s particular skills set rather redundant. Similarly, if the 24 year old fails to reach double figures next season, questions will be asked regarding Carroll’s overall quality.

Whether Carroll’s permanent move will result in success or failure, the buck will have to stop with the Hammers boss. The £15million transfer fee in addition to the £30million wage package represents a huge single investment for a club of West Ham’s stature, and the fans and the board will be expecting to see a return in league standing sooner rather than later.

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Does Andy Carroll’s wage package represent a huge risk on Big Sam’s part?

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It says a lot about the pulling power of the Premier League – and the financial windfall, of course – that newly-promoted Cardiff City have been able to pick up a player of Gary Medel’s calibre. This is nothing against the Premier League new boys, but they are punching well above their weight; a compliment, if anything.

I love the scene in Snatch where a shotgun, described as an anti-aircraft gun, is brought into the car. There’s a big job on the cards, and nothing but the most provocative will do. Gary Medel, for what he brings to the table, is Cardiff’s anti-aircraft gun.

The Chilean international is readymade for the Premier League, and he’ll absolutely love a cold Monday night away at Stoke. The Welsh club have evidently gone ahead and assisted in Jose Maria Del Nido’s stripping of last season’s Sevilla team – Medel is the eighth departure of note this summer – and picked up a fantastic coup; a player who has the ability to play at Europe’s highest level in the Champions League and who will play a huge part in Cardiff battling to remain in the Premier League.

Medel is good technically, but it’s what he brings to the midfield in a defensive manner that sets him apart. He’s a terrier, a snappy, nasty, provocative (there it is) holding midfielder that will make the rest of his team’s job so much easier (sometimes) and the opposing team’s life hell. He’ll intercept and break up play; his ability to tackle, and tackle well, means “El Pitbull” will act as a tremendous shield in front of the Cardiff City backline. The drawback to his fiery nature is that he is prone to red cards. Last season he picked up three, the second highest in La Liga. It’s not an understatement when people say he’s a bit mental. Let’s put it plainly: he can be a bloody liability, but he’s the kind of character you’d love to have on your team.

When he does fancy it, Medel can be of good use to the attacking phase of the game. I’m sure he won’t like the description, but there is more to him than just a nasty piece of work who dives head first into confrontations; he can play, too. Despite the underachieving nature of Sevilla over the past few seasons, Medel has played among high-end midfielders and forwards, and hardly ever, in the transition from back to front, has the Chilean been seen to be a passenger. He has the ability to play the ball long into the path of his forwards, and he’s more than capable of keeping the ball on the deck. Medel isn’t the (formerly) Spanish-based centrepiece of a team many clubs would be looking for; instead he can be the perfect foil for such a player.

And now it’s worth mentioning the entertainment factor. The Premier League will get a real kick out of Medel’s antics, most likely off the pitch as well as on it. He’ll attempt to boot a plastic chair into orbit, he’ll get in the faces of the authorities, and he’ll scare the life out of anyone who dares to get his way. Cardiff City have a genuine fear-factor player on their books, though obviously not in the traditional sense. Alongside all that he can bring to the team from footballing perspective, this should be a laugh.

Will Gary Medel prove to be a good signing for Cardiff City?

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Two of the major stories coming out of Real Madrid at this moment are that of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

The Portuguese has recently scored his second hat-trick in back-to-back home La Liga games – helping Madrid to 12 in total against Sevilla and Real Sociedad – and has notched 24 goals in all competitions thus far, eight of which have been in four Champions League games. It’s the subplot to the bigger question: should he win the Ballon d’Or? He has his merits, though for some it’s not as strong as the cases put forward by Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery.

The other is that Gareth Bale has hit his stride since arriving (properly it seems) onto the scene and into the starting XI. He’s combined with Ronaldo and the two look to be working well. The Welshman scored twice and made two more in the 7-3 win over Sevilla alone.

But a story that should be of great importance is the reawakening of Karim Benzema.

It wasn’t too long ago that the Frenchman had one foot quite firmly out the door of the Bernabeu, with many predicting a January exit. The fans were on his back after, in their eyes, a string of lacklustre performances. Interestingly, it wasn’t that his scoring had dried up on the whole, but instead that his overall contribution left much to be desired.

Since then, he’s been fantastic, registering four goals and four assists in his last four games in all competitions.

He’s been linked with a move to Arsenal in the run-up to the January window, and regardless of any dips in form he may have, Benzema is still the best option available (?) for Arsene Wenger’s side.

Javier Hernandez is a name who is also doing the rounds due to his lack of involvement in Manchester United’s season up until this point. The Mexican is a proven goal scorer in the Premier League and is more than capable of hitting 20-plus goals over the course of a season. But is he an Arsenal player? He’s good enough, of course, but when was the last time Wenger bought a player in his mould? Eduardo, certainly; the Croatian international was the poacher that was arguably needed to round off the Arsenal team back then. But it’s not the way Wenger normally does things.

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Many of Wenger’s attacking buys come with a degree of versatility. It helps, too, due to Arsenal’s regular hit of injuries, but Wenger likes players who can do more than one job in his side. A poacher who simply hangs on the shoulder of the last defender simply doesn’t fit the mould of what Arsenal are currently doing.

In fact stretch that theory and look to teams like Barcelona and Dortmund – two teams who will regularly be compared to Arsenal for obvious reasons – and neither possess out-and-out poachers in their ranks. David Villa was the closest thing for Barcelona, and Pep Guardiola converted him into a free-scoring left-sided attacker.

Benzema, in comparison to Hernandez, does a lot in the build up. He can hold up the ball in the way Olivier Giroud has done thus far – a vital ingredient to aid the surrounding attackers in the Arsenal team – but he can also drift onto the flanks, able to use his pace to accelerate away from or towards defenders. Were it not for his flaws at Madrid, which are far from owed to a lack of ability, he’d be the complete striker.

A stumbling block is Florentino Perez. The Real Madrid president isn’t short of funds to replace Benzema, but the problem is rather linked to the fact that the Frenchman is a player he valued highly prior to his transfer, and one who he’d be reluctant to let go of. The upswing in Benzema’s productivity – which has been particularly notable and pleasing – may potentially put a halt to any midseason sale.

Edin Dzeko is the final name being strongly linked with a move to north London. The Manchester City striker has lost his place to Alvaro Negredo, who has struck up a fantastic rapport with Sergio Aguero – the Spanish language likely being the root of their success.

It’s hard to argue that Dzeko wouldn’t be a good buy for Arsenal. He offers more or less the same qualities as Giroud and knows how to find the net. The problem is he offers more or less the same qualities as Giroud. There’s continuity, but a lack of variance.

Benzema, on the other hand, is versatile. When Jose Mourinho deployed the devastating attacking triumvirate of Ronaldo, Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain, it was the Frenchman who took up position on the right side of attack.

Benzema turns 26 in December meaning he’s approaching his peak years as a forward. Despite his detractors, he’s a world-class centre-forward. If his time at Real Madrid can be interpreted or even sold as four-and-a-half seasons of struggle, it’s not too dissimilar to the problems faced by other Arsenal forwards in the past. No one was disputing the ability of those two forwards who had failed to make an impact in Italy.

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If the opportunity presents itself, Benzema is the striker who best fits the style of play at the Emirates. Arsenal are armed with the means to take the Frenchman from Real Madrid, while the lack of complications of selling to a domestic rival should speed up the process.

One way or another, it shouldn’t be viewed as Arsenal settling for one of the last options. At his best, Benzema is one of Europe’s finest.

Is Benzema the right man for the job at Arsenal?

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Ryan Giggs has and always will be one of the Premier League’s greatest ever players.

But at 40 years of age, with Manchester United fans and pundits alike compelled to applaud whenever he successfully completes a five-yard pass, his regular attendance in the Red Devils first team has begun to say more about the club than it does the Welshman’s many achievements in the game.

Don’t get me wrong, how can one justifiably criticise the only survivor from the Premier League’s inaugural season still plying his trade in the top flight today? Regardless of the immense ability Giggs has always shown, that astonishing, 22-campaign feat alone makes him by default the most experienced player the Premier League has ever seen.

When you combine that with 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League medals, six PFA Team of the Year awards and even a BBC Sports Personality of the Year accolade on the mantelpiece, who wouldn’t want that level of expertise in the dugout, the dressing room, and even the squad? Especially amid such turbulent times at Carrington.

But what other Premier League club can claim to have an individual of such twilight in their squad, still yet to make less than 30 appearances in a single campaign?

Some would argue that only further highlights the unrivalled drive, ambition, athleticism and sheer ability of the man, just 41 games shy of reaching a thousand appearances for Manchester United.

Yet there is a more troubling flipside to that coin – the argument that Giggs’ near quarter-century tenure for the Red Devils represents a club lost in the past, through their own inability to rebuild, re-grow and modernise over the last three years. Sir Alex Ferguson was able to pave over the cracks, but his successor has not been so lucky.

That may seem a rather blunt critique considering Manchester United won the Premier League title only last season, a campaign in which Giggs played a vital cameo role to find two goals in 22 league appearances.

But he’s not the only relic that’s managed to outstay his peak at Carrington. The once-impeccable backline of Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra has been found wanting on more than one occasion this season, looking decisively slow, cumbersome on the ball and almost brutishly basic in their defending.

In a nutshell, they come across as defenders belonging to the last decade rather than the twenty-teens. No pace in their heels, no vision in possession, no delicacy to their clearances, no discipline or patience in anticipating a turn-over.

It speaks volumes that David Moyes hasn’t utilised the veteran trio in the same starting line-up domestically since their 4-1 drubbing to Manchester City back in September, and they’re now all in line for a bosman departure at the end of the season.

And fellow Class of ’92 graduate Paul Scholes only hung up his boots at the end of last term at 38 years of age. The effects of his retirement have been enormous this season, as Manchester United struggle to recruit a central midfielder who can come close to matching the ginger maestro’s world-class ability to orchestrate play and create goals.

Should Giggs decide to end his playing days at the end of the current term, the void he leaves behind won’t be nearly as devastating as Scholes’. But in terms of superior experience and footballing intellect, the Welshman is irreplaceable.

Nobody is doubting that, yet the continued prominence of his role at Old Trafford symbolises the dysfunction  of Manchester United’s attempts to rebuild during the final years of Sir Alex Ferguson’s equally as monolithic tenure.

Lost in a chaotic world where losing to Stoke City and drawing to a bottom-place Fulham has become the norm, David Moyes has felt compelled to turn to the veteran 18 times already this season, perhaps viewing the unparalleled experience Giggs brings to the first team as one of a rare few reliable entities at Carrington. You can certainly understand that, in comparison to the stale performances from Nani and Ashley Young on the left-hand side over the last 18 months.

But this is not the Ryan Giggs of old, or even the Ryan Giggs who was one of a rare few to impress for Team GB at the London Olympics in summer 2012.

This is a Ryan Giggs, playing most commonly in central midfield to compensate for the quality Tom Cleverley and Marouane Fellaini continually fail to provide, who has averaged just 0.6 tackles, 0.3 shots, 0.8 key passes and 0.4 dribbles per match from his ten Premier League outings since the summer. This is a Ryan Giggs who offers more in the way of nostalgia and the illusion of stability, than he does actual footballing ability.

Unfortunately for the Welshman, although through no fault of his own, his regular inclusion has become symbolic of a club that have somehow missed their last, yet most vital period of transition. Perhaps that is the price Manchester United paid to win their ultimate Premier League title of the Ferguson era.

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Regardless of experience and wisdom, Giggs, as a first team player, should have been replaced several years ago. Sir Alex Ferguson was famous for his cut-throat approach to not let one player grow bigger than Manchester United, but he has created an almost immovable institution in the Welshman – a different kind of, yet equally as threatening, danger to the club’s stability and longevity.

The same can be said for Rio Ferdinand, and more recently, Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic.

The issue of the age-old relics is not one of David Moyes’ making, but it has left him between a rock and hard place. The new blood bursting through, the likes of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, aren’t yet developed enough to be safely passed the mantle, yet Giggs’ veteran clan, despite their many achievements for Manchester United over the years, are too slow, battle-worn and out of touch with the modern game to be successfully relied upon.

The coming summer will bring great change to Manchester United, and most likely instigate Giggs’ permanency in the dug-out rather than on the pitch. When his boots are hung up, it will not be the 40 year-old’s unrivalled experience that leaves a hole in the first team, but rather the Red Devils’ continual inability to replace him.

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