ON VAN PERSIE TO UNITED

     On January 22nd 2002, Manchester United had a 7 million pound bid in the January transfer market accepted for one Diego Forlan. Viewed by scouts as a potential scorer of important goals for United's run-in, Forlán joined the third-placed Reds and was expected to help guide United back to the top of the Premier League table for the clubs fifteenth championship. What happened in the next 5 months for the Uruguayan is still looked back on ponderously by Premier League fans; Forlán made 18 appearances for United before the end of the season, contributing not a single goal. United ended the season still languisihing in third place, and trophyless for the first time since the 97-98 campaign. Furthermore, Diego Forlán would spend three more wretched seasons in Manchester, before being transferred away to Villareal, where he would most certainly play out the rest of his career in relative anonymity...

     Except Diego Forlán was (and is) a brilliant player; he would follow up his Manchester nightmare with 7 magnificient seasons in La Liga for both Villareal and Atlético Madrid. The 2008 season with Atlético saw him bag 32 league goals, and many pundits included him in their top 10 players worldwide. Furthermore, Forlán shined on the world stage, as his five goals helped lead Uruguay to a fourth placed finish in the 2010 World Cup, where Forlán was also named Best Player. So what went wrong in England for Forlán? Many have speculated on this question simply because of how odd it is that a man so clearly brilliant on the pitch couldn't cut for what was a relatively weak United side. My explanation is three-fold; for one, Forlán is more a #10 then he is an out-and-out striker, and Paul Scholes was still manning this position brilliantly at the time for the Red Devils. Secondly, although he can lead the line, Forlán was never going to placed ahead of Ruud van Nistelrooy in the pecking order for striker. Finally, Manchester United played in the same fashion 10 years ago as they do today, which is a counter-based game hugely dependant on devastating wingers, and not-so focused on possession of the ball in the center of the park. This certainly did not suit the more deliberate, calculating, and technically brilliant Forlán.

     For Manchester United, though, the purchase of Diego Forlán represented a much larger folly than simply a one-off transfer mistake. Although they would reclaim the league title in 2003, the club would endure a (again, relatively) barren spell that would only end in 2007, when Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney began to take over the Premiership. What does this have to do with Forlán? His transfer to the red half of Manchester was meant to bolster an attacking strike force that did not need bolstering, as it already included Louis Saha, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ole Solkskaer, and a more forward-thinking Scholes. It was an exercise in overkill by Alex Ferguson at a time when United had legitimate squad issues. It was clear at the time that United's midfield tandem of Scholes and Roy Keane had become too slow for the modern era of English football, and furthermore United now lacked the brilliant wingers that were so pivotal to their 90's successes, as Ryan Giggs was now moving more centrally, and players like Andrei Kanchelskis and David Beckham had moved on to other clubs. Moreover, the center of United's defense was always prone to errors despite the addition of Rio Ferdinand; he simply did not have a good enough partner, with no disrespect to John O'Shea or Wes Brown. United would take years to sort out these problems, but when they did they would again rise to take command of the Premiership. Rooney, Ronaldo, and Nemanja Vidic were the players that United needed, not the Diego Forlán's of the world. 

     Now that we are three paragraphs deep, it must be said that this entry is not about Diego Forlán, but rather United's inevitable purchase of Robin van Persie, whose photo headlines this whole affair. Having been usurped for the title by the other half of Manchester in last season's breathless finale, Sir Alex Ferguson appears to have made a desperation buy following his tireless courting of the aforementioned van Persie. Given the reaction on social media this afternoon, it would appear most United fans are ecstatic about the transfer; a proven goal scorer and arguably last season's best Premier Leage performer is joining a side that was only pipped for the title by goal difference, surely this gives United the edge, many presume. However, I am not in this majority. In fact, I am of the opinion that this is the type of purchase that may actually hurt United's chances of recapturing the league title. And I have my reasons.

     Last season Manchester United scored 89 goals, a club record in the Premier League era. The strikeforce consisting of Rooney, Chicharito, Welbeck, and Berbatov contributed 53 goals alone, which doesn't include six more that Ashley Young scored even though he was frequently deployed behind Wayne Rooney. This is a colossal haul for any set of strikers, and given that the incredible tandem of Nani and Valencia are the team's main sources for goals, it is fair to say that the four up front had more than their fair share of opportunities to score. More importantly, however, three other factors lead me to believe that United's current strikers are only going to score more goals this season, despite the fact that Berbatov will likely be sold before Winter. For one, Chicharito will be much better this season than last. He began last season's campaign off the heels of a gruelling summer wherein he starred for Mexico's national side at the Gold Cup. This year he will be fresher, more determined, and will likely be more injury-free given his comparatively light off-season. Secondly, the Welbeck-Rooney partnership is only going to improve. Welbeck was one of England's best performers at Euro 2012, and he seems to have figured out how to succeed at the highest level of play. He and Rooney were at times magnificient together last season, and I expect the pair to continue to progress with both club and country. Thirdly, United have quietly brought in wünderkind Angelo Henriquez from Universidad de Chile. The 18 year old has already scored 11 goals in 17 league fixtures this season, and many tip him to become Chile's next great attacking talent. I believe that United buying van Persie will bring Sir Alex Ferguson unending selection headaches, and furthermore will disrupt any chemistry that has been developed between the aforementioned players over the past two seasons. Like how Forlán's acquisition only overstocked United's strikeforce, as would van Persie's now. 

     More importantly than this, however, is the fact van Persie's addition to United hugely overshadows the massive holes that need to be filled in the rest of the side. Left-back is a massive issue for the Reds, as Patrice Evra is coming off an (at best) inconsistent campaign last season, and Fabio da Silva has been loaned out to QPR. Whereas I believed Ferguson needed to begin using Fabio as a regular starter, he has now left that area of the field with only one real option, so any injury problems for Evra would be catastrophic to the team. I have always been a huge fan of the Frenchman, but at 31 years old Evra needs to take his defensive responsibilities more seriously if he wishes to remain one of the better outside backs in England. Ferguson ought to have (at the very least) brought in a veteran, out-and-out left back to sort out this impending issue. 

     Furthermore, United's midfield still raises countless questions. Is Tom Cleverly going to slot in alongside Anderson in a repeat of last season's opening fixtures? Where exactly does Shinji Kagawa fit it? Is Carrick still going to play 25-30 matches a season? Can Scholes and Giggs continue to defy age and logic and help the side? I believe United massively missed the boat on not bringing in Wesley Sneijder last year, as they desperately need a world-beater in the center of the pitch. Unless van Persie's inclusion in the side means that Rooney is to drop into midfield, I again believe his purchase causes more problems than it solves.

     To me, United's (imminent) purchase of Robin van Persie is a tranfer for the sake of a transfer; United were displeased at being outbid for Lucas Moura by PSG, and decided that in order to not be seen as inferior to Manchester City's enormous coffers, they needed to make a big-money buy. Don't get me wrong, as a fan of United I hope that van Persie slots right into the side. Perhaps he will play up front with Welbeck, with Rooney just behind, and he'll bang in the goals that will lead us to another title.

     Unfortunately, I just don't see it happening with United's other squad problems going unsolved. Manchester United didn't need Forlán in 2002, and they don't need van Persie in 2012.

NOTE: Over the past few days, a few football writers and many online commenters have likened van Persie's transfer to that of Dimitar Berbatov's in 2008, however I don't quite agree with this notion. Berbatov's situation was (and at the moment, still is) more of a square-peg-in-round-hole issue; his languid playing style is at odds with both United's counter-attacking philosophy, and the type of players who have been brought in since he joined the side (players who play with an impatient impetus like Chicharito, Valencia, and Kagawa). On the contrary, I'm of the opinion that van Persie's skill set actually compliments the type of play that Ferguson wishes to see in his side. My argument, as stated above, is that his services are simply surplus to requirements.