English Angle: Four Reasons Why Manchester United Are Desperate For Owen Hargreaves' Return

Some blame the defence and others blame fatigue, but I believe the Red Devils are short one key man in particular...

8 Apr 2009 14:45:08

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EPL: Owen Hargreaves, Manchester United - Arsenal (PA)

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• Manchester United

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• Owen Hargreaves

Manchester United need Owen Hargreaves - the player, not the phantom of Old Trafford - back in action for four reasons: their suddenly human defence.

When the Red Devils were racking up the clean-sheets, many said that the defence, with goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar behind them, was invincible. Now, that same rearguard is taking a battering, both from opposition attackers and an array of critics. The truth behind United's current slump, though, must surely lie somewhere in between, and that naturally leads us to the midfield.

Even whilst Sir Alex Ferguson's men were charging on unchallenged, there were signs of frailty during the too-close League Cup win over Derby County in January. Blackburn Rovers' Roque Santa Cruz broke the clean sheet record but the flaws weren't really amplified until the 2-1 win at Newcastle United in early March, wherein the gung-ho Magpies provided a real test. Inter then outplayed them to no avail, before the levee broke three days later: Liverpool thumped them, Fulham stunned them, Aston Villa went down narrowly and, finally, Porto drew 2-2 in midweek, and could have won easily.

Sure, there have been individual errors at the back. Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand were shocking against the Reds, and even though the resurgent former and injured latter weren't to blame as Porto ran riot, Jonny Evans and Gary Neville made costly mistakes. More to the point, however, the midfield has been dominated time and again in recent weeks, often at home, thus the defence is far more exposed than it should be. There's no shield in front of the defence, 50-50 balls are going the wrong way and games are raging from end-to-end - like a basketball match, as the cliche goes.

Now we've come to the business end of the season, when Manchester United are supposed to come alive. Instead, they're gasping for air and every side they encounter will fancy their chances, based on what they've seen recently. There's something missing, quite literally, in the shape of perma-crocked midfield battler Owen Hargreaves.

So why should we yearn for the Canadian-born English international with the German background? Simply put, he's a tiger and does not let games pass him by as some of the United midfielders have done lately. Michael Carrick looks somewhat bereft of confidence and authority after a stunning half-season or so, and fatigue may be playing its part. Anderson is an option, but he's too classy for extended shifts in the war zone. Paul Scholes is what he is – a veteran to be used sparingly and a player whose raking passes are his main asset in his twilight years. Darren Fletcher, meanwhile, is a squad man playing more than even he expects to.

Boss Ferguson bought Hargreaves from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2007 for a weighty £17 million, handing him a four-year contract which hinted at his plans for the player. He's a peak-age 28-year-old now, and would come alive on the big occasions, such as Tuesday evening's Champions League fiasco. Certainly, he showed early on in his United career that he intended to bring titles to the club. Other bonus points include his free kick prowess – United are suddenly shambolic on that front – and his positional versatility.

To play Hargreaves, of course, he has to be fit. Exactly what stage he's at has been the subject of some confusion, but the word is that he's training at Carrington and stepping up his fitness bid by the day, now onto the final stretch of his rehabilitation. He's needed surgery twice to correct his patella tendonitis, which means that both knees have not been able to handle the impact of landing after a routine leap. Highly-rated American surgeon-cum-miracle worker Dr. Richard Steadman has been working on Hargreaves, giving hope that he'll make a full recovery, as many under his care have.

When someone has been out this long, then, it's probably best to complete the programme and not risk the kind of damage that can end careers prematurely. Hargreaves recently insisted that he'll be back even stronger but admitted that he hasn't been watching United's progress closely due to frustration, something that Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas also revealed during his lay-off. It looks as though United will have to wait until the summer before the midfielder can plug their hole – yet it's clearly still there.

Obviously, there remains the possibility that Hargreaves could suffer a further set-back, or that he won't be the same player on his eventual return. Thus, one would be surprised if Ferguson's wily eyes haven't wandered across the globe looking for a potential replacement. Real Madrid's Mahamadou Diarra and Sporting Lisbon man Miguel Veloso are two possible targets, with Standard Liege starlet Alex Witsel also frequently linked with a Premier League move. There are attainable players to fill the void, but 'Fergie' is likely to wait on 'Hargo' for as long as possible.

More immediately, the gaffer must readjust somewhat to compensate. His side need to reclaim the midfield and pull together in order to protect a lambasted defence which cannot have become a bad unit overnight. Let's hope the talented Mr Hargreaves returns in time for next season, but for now, United must somehow compensate for a problem they have yet to fully identify.