MANCHESTER UNITED’S UNDER-FIRE defence suffered a further blow against rivals Man City yesterday, when Argentine international Marcos Rojo was carried off injured.
Their defensive options were limited enough prior to yesterday’s game, and with the loss of their £16million summer signing to injury — potentially for a number of weeks — a bad situation just got worse.
Consequently, below, we assess United’s alternative defensive options in the absence of arguably their best defender, and assess whether they are strong enough to remain in Louis van Gaal’s long-term plans.
Paddy McNair
Martin Rickett
Martin Rickett
The Antrim youngster has been thrown into the deep end on more than one occasion this season, and has coped relatively well under the circumstances.
The 19-year-old made his senior debut against West Ham last September, and his solid performance replete with an acrobatic headed clearance when United went down to 10 men drew praise for manager Louis van Gaal.
However, his failure to get tight on Sergio Aguero for Man City’s goal at the weekend provided a reminder that he has a long way to go yet if he is to ever establish himself as a United regular.
Rating: 6/10
Jonny Evans
PA Archive / Press Association Images
PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Despite still only being 26, Evans is now the most experienced out-and-out defender at the club, following the departures of veterans such as Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand in the summer
Nevertheless, he has still yet to fully establish himself as a first-choice defender at United, failing to reach the 30-game mark during any of his seasons thus far at the club.
On account of his seniority, many believed he might finally become United’s main man at the back this year, but injuries have restricted his involvement to just three Premier League appearances, as well as a dismal showing in United’s 4-0 loss to MK Dons in the League Cup.
Rating: 6/10
Rafael
EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
With six appearances in the league this year, Rafael is one of United’s more regular presences in the back four.
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And going forward, the Brazilian is arguably one of the best full backs in the Premier League, nevertheless there are still serious question marks about him defensively.
Against Leicester in particular, the 24-year-old struggled to cope with the opposition’s physicality and the suspicion remains that he invariably has a mistake in him.
Rating: 5/10
Luke Shaw
EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
Shaw was under pressure at the start of the season after Van Gaal suggested he needed to lose weight.
However, the England international has recovered since then to win a place in the first team and has performed reasonably, even if he was somewhat culpable for the concession of their first goal against West Brom recently.
Moreover, Shaw is still the same player who looked so exceptional in his 35 appearances for Southampton last year, and at 19, he will surely only get better in the coming years.
Rating: 7/10
Tyler Blackett
EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
As laudable as it is for a 20-year-old to have played in six out of United’s 10 games this season, it is more an indicator of United’s limited options rather than Blackett’s own prowess that he has been so prominent this year.
And unfortunately, he was probably the most culpable of United’s defenders in the disastrous 5-3 loss to Leicester, getting sent off amid a demoralising defeat.
It’s therefore no surprise that Blackett has failed to start a game since the Leicester debacle, with Paddy McNair now seemingly ahead of him in the pecking order.
Rating: 5/10
Chris Smalling
EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
Louis van Gaal was brutally honest in his assessment of Smalling’s sending off in yesterday’s Manchester Derby, labelling his behaviour “stupid”.
The incident proved a reminder that the defender has yet to really fulfill his potential since signing for United in 2010.
His record 25 appearances last year coincided with the club’s worst season in years, and his five appearances this year have included featuring in the ignominious 5-3 defeat to Leicester.
Rating: 5/10
Phil Jones
Martin Rickett
Martin Rickett
Another who has failed to live up to the sizeable hype that greeted his arrival at Old Trafford.
Yet like many others in the team, injuries haven’t helped his cause, with Jones featuring just four times for the club this year.
At just 22, he still could be the new Duncan Edwards, as Bobby Charlton famously once suggested he had the potential to be, but he must alleviate the tendency to dive into challenges if he wants to become a top player. Until he manages that, the jury is still out.
Rating: 6/10
Michael Carrick
EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
Primarily considered a defensive midfielder, Carrick has often been required to slot in at centre-back, as was the case in this weekend’s Manchester Derby.
It’s easy to see why he has become the go-to makeshift centre-half, as his reading of the game is frequently excellent.
Nevertheless, his lack of pace leaves him liable to being exposed, and a club with Champions League aspirations really shouldn’t be relying on a midfielder at the back, even if Carrick does possess considerable experience in the role.
Rating: 5/10
Antonio Valencia
EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
Another reluctant defender who would prefer to be further forward, Valencia has done reasonably while still looking less than comfortable when asked to play at full-back.
Consequently, his role at the back still has more of a sense of ‘desperate times call for desperate measures’ rather than a Lauren-style later-career rejuvenation.
Analysis: Where does Marcos Rojo's injury leave Man United's problematic defence
MANCHESTER UNITED’S UNDER-FIRE defence suffered a further blow against rivals Man City yesterday, when Argentine international Marcos Rojo was carried off injured.
Their defensive options were limited enough prior to yesterday’s game, and with the loss of their £16million summer signing to injury — potentially for a number of weeks — a bad situation just got worse.
Consequently, below, we assess United’s alternative defensive options in the absence of arguably their best defender, and assess whether they are strong enough to remain in Louis van Gaal’s long-term plans.
Paddy McNair
The Antrim youngster has been thrown into the deep end on more than one occasion this season, and has coped relatively well under the circumstances.
The 19-year-old made his senior debut against West Ham last September, and his solid performance replete with an acrobatic headed clearance when United went down to 10 men drew praise for manager Louis van Gaal.
However, his failure to get tight on Sergio Aguero for Man City’s goal at the weekend provided a reminder that he has a long way to go yet if he is to ever establish himself as a United regular.
Rating: 6/10
Jonny Evans
Despite still only being 26, Evans is now the most experienced out-and-out defender at the club, following the departures of veterans such as Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand in the summer
Nevertheless, he has still yet to fully establish himself as a first-choice defender at United, failing to reach the 30-game mark during any of his seasons thus far at the club.
On account of his seniority, many believed he might finally become United’s main man at the back this year, but injuries have restricted his involvement to just three Premier League appearances, as well as a dismal showing in United’s 4-0 loss to MK Dons in the League Cup.
Rating: 6/10
Rafael
With six appearances in the league this year, Rafael is one of United’s more regular presences in the back four.
And going forward, the Brazilian is arguably one of the best full backs in the Premier League, nevertheless there are still serious question marks about him defensively.
Against Leicester in particular, the 24-year-old struggled to cope with the opposition’s physicality and the suspicion remains that he invariably has a mistake in him.
Rating: 5/10
Luke Shaw
Shaw was under pressure at the start of the season after Van Gaal suggested he needed to lose weight.
However, the England international has recovered since then to win a place in the first team and has performed reasonably, even if he was somewhat culpable for the concession of their first goal against West Brom recently.
Moreover, Shaw is still the same player who looked so exceptional in his 35 appearances for Southampton last year, and at 19, he will surely only get better in the coming years.
Rating: 7/10
Tyler Blackett
As laudable as it is for a 20-year-old to have played in six out of United’s 10 games this season, it is more an indicator of United’s limited options rather than Blackett’s own prowess that he has been so prominent this year.
And unfortunately, he was probably the most culpable of United’s defenders in the disastrous 5-3 loss to Leicester, getting sent off amid a demoralising defeat.
It’s therefore no surprise that Blackett has failed to start a game since the Leicester debacle, with Paddy McNair now seemingly ahead of him in the pecking order.
Rating: 5/10
Chris Smalling
Louis van Gaal was brutally honest in his assessment of Smalling’s sending off in yesterday’s Manchester Derby, labelling his behaviour “stupid”.
The incident proved a reminder that the defender has yet to really fulfill his potential since signing for United in 2010.
His record 25 appearances last year coincided with the club’s worst season in years, and his five appearances this year have included featuring in the ignominious 5-3 defeat to Leicester.
Rating: 5/10
Phil Jones
Another who has failed to live up to the sizeable hype that greeted his arrival at Old Trafford.
Indeed, just before he retired, Alex Ferguson suggested Jones could become Manchester United’s best-ever player.
Yet like many others in the team, injuries haven’t helped his cause, with Jones featuring just four times for the club this year.
At just 22, he still could be the new Duncan Edwards, as Bobby Charlton famously once suggested he had the potential to be, but he must alleviate the tendency to dive into challenges if he wants to become a top player. Until he manages that, the jury is still out.
Rating: 6/10
Michael Carrick
Primarily considered a defensive midfielder, Carrick has often been required to slot in at centre-back, as was the case in this weekend’s Manchester Derby.
It’s easy to see why he has become the go-to makeshift centre-half, as his reading of the game is frequently excellent.
Nevertheless, his lack of pace leaves him liable to being exposed, and a club with Champions League aspirations really shouldn’t be relying on a midfielder at the back, even if Carrick does possess considerable experience in the role.
Rating: 5/10
Antonio Valencia
Another reluctant defender who would prefer to be further forward, Valencia has done reasonably while still looking less than comfortable when asked to play at full-back.
Consequently, his role at the back still has more of a sense of ‘desperate times call for desperate measures’ rather than a Lauren-style later-career rejuvenation.
Rating: 5/10
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