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A 4-1 thrashing of Fulham in the FA cup over the weekend was a testament to team United who proved that they do posses the killer instinct even without RVP in the starting line-up. At a time when expert opinion stands divided on the question, “to what extent United relies on Robin Van Persie?”, we decided to take a closer look…
In his demolishing debut season, Robin is considered to be the main man for red devils, so much so forth that pundits have started doubting whether United are capable of winning without him. This was evident when Wenger had recently claimed about selling the title itself when he sold Van Persie in the summer, a stand also seconded by Mancini when he bemoaned that Robin could be the difference between the two Manchester clubs this season! There is no doubt that his performances over the last two season have been at a different level altogether. Everyone admits that this man needs just a yard of space inside the box when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net. His shooting has been exemplary and he just seems to know where the goal is without even taking a proper aim. This season and the previous one at Arsenal has seen him grow in consistency and finesse. Gunners do not miss their man for no reason!
All said and agreed, the premise at this juncture is whether Robin Van Persie is carrying his United team on his shoulder or is he just another player doing his job at its best.
Let’s collate and understand what the stats have to say:
United have scored 57 goals in the league this season and 18 out of those came from RVP’s account; a number which is not even a third of the total goals tally, contrary to the general belief that he does all the scoring for the Red Devils! Contrasting to this, last season Persie had netted 30 out of Arsenal’s 74 goals in the Premier League, approximately 40 percent of the teams total goals. United, as a team, has really done well when they have 16 different goal scorers this season and most of them are team goals rather than individual efforts.
United have won 18 out of 23 games this season and 11 of them have been by a goal’s margin. On a closer look at these games, it reflects that on 6 occasions, the decider came from a player who was not Robin. On the other 5 occasions, only twice did RVP take full responsibility of the win, once against Southampton (3-2) and another against West Ham (1-0). Few of them came in an away win at Manchester City, where Rooney scored the opening two and another against Reading, scoring the last goal after Rooney had leveled it with a brace. Even his last minute equalizer in the FA cup tie against West Ham was an end product of a pin point lofted through ball from Giggs and not a singular effort. The argument here is not to shrink Van Persie’s reputation but to remind others that he is not alone in the team.
Obviously, his impact this season has been extra-ordinary and United fans have found a new hero at the Theatre of Dreams. But taking the credit away from the team that has worked in tandem to reach at the top is not justified at all.
More than the sum of parts!!
Look at Hernandez. He knows he doesn’t have a place in the starting XI but still manages to motivate himself to change the course of the game whenever he is sent into the middle. Rooney has been selfless and given up his preferred forward position to accomodate RVP and allowed him to flourish. Carrick might not be on the score sheet many times but forms the pillar of the whole team and keeps the system working.
This is a team game and many people have failed to understand that! Robin himself acknowledged the team’s effort in one of his interviews.
“This is a special team, “Everybody wants to help each other. Everybody’s keen for everyone to score.
“We have to look at it game by game but everybody wants to be champions. I feel that I’m surrounded by champions.”
“Defenders are working their socks off for the midfielders, the midfielders are working for the strikers.”
“Everybody wants to run and everybody has one target in their mind.”
Compare this situation to a similar one at Barcelona. Messi scores almost every goal for them but still they are not considered a one man team. Xavi and Iniesta are as important as Messi and so is the rest of the team.
Everyone at United understands how valuable RVP is for the team but we appreciate his efforts as a team player and not just an individual. Let us take a look at other contributors who work as hard as him and give their best for the team.
I have compiled an analysis for the best performer from every position on the field for United. Few other notable mentions are also added alongside!
If this season is about someone, it’s none other than Mr. Dependable, Michael Carrick. He has started the last 48 out 49 games for United in the League, a feat next to impossible for any player. He has been the center of everything that United has done this season. His passing has been among the best in Europe and has a pass completion rate of more than 88%. Finally, his worth has been recognized by fans and he has vindicated Ferguson’s faith in him for so many years. Carrick has 22 league appearances and assisted 4 times. It’s hard to believe that United’s midfield anchor for years has just 26 England appearances, something that needs to be fixed.
Silencing his critics finally!
Spanish and Real Madrid midfielder, Xabi Alonso had recently made a comment on Carrick’s England situation…
Carrick is the kind of player who makes others around him play rather than shining himself as an individual. From attack to defense, he has been deployed at every position by Ferguson and he has given his full every time. If you ask Sir Alex to point out one man who will be the first on the team sheet, then he will say, “Michael Carrick”.
Statistics : 22 apps , 4 assists and 88.2% passing rate
Another United scholar, Tom Cleverley, has lived upto his potential this season in the middle and is bound to fil up the void created by Scholes in the upcoming years. He has been industrious and creative in his outings for United and has shown great vision and passing skills.
Everyone had assumed that Frenchman’s career at United has ended when Ferguson was trying to bring Baines as his replacement last summer. The manager decided to give him one more year and what an year it has turned out to be! Patrice Evra has not only been more consistent in defensive duties, but has also discovered a new found love of scoring important goals for his team. With understudy Buttner challenging for a place in the starting XI, Evra has got the much needed motivation to fight for his place in the United’s line-up. 4 goals and 4 assists in 22 appearances is a remarkable performance by all standards for a defender.
We all knew that he won’t give up without a fight, but people had doubts about how much of a fight was left in him at this age. The 31 yr old has also captained the side in Vidic’s absence and has reinstated Ferguson’s faith in him to operate at Left Back for a few more years. He has left the Suarez episode behind him and emerged out to be more composed than before.
Statistics: 21 apps , 4 assists , 4 goals, 87.6% passing rate
The Brazilian has turned out to be the most improved player this season at United and has relished the chances given to him by Ferguson. He has scored goals and assisted them with ease and added to the attacking option from the flanks for the team. Surely, this lad has a bright future ahead of him.
If Manchester United is aiming for a treble this season, then this man has a very important role to play. He is truly a team player and is ready to play any role assigned to him with sheer obedience. He has definitely made life difficult for Sir Alex, who finds it unjust to exclude someone with such an emphatic goal scoring form. Even then, he has turned out to be United’s savior whenever called upon as a substitute on many crucial junctures. Out of his 13 appearances this season, 8 have come from the bench and he has managed to pop in 8 goals already.
He is someone who plays on the nose of the last defender and makes threatening runs to intercept crosses and through balls from his team mates. He might be caught offside a number of time,s but makes sure that the defenders are on their toes while marking him.
Ferguson always reserves his special praise for the Mexican and affectionately says,
“Javier’s effort and enthusiasm to play is absolutely fantastic. He is a great example to anybody who wants to be a footballer. He is exactly the same in training and gives 100% in every session.”
“Chick Pea”, as he is affectionately called, is one of the fans’ favorite and is rumored to decrease crime rate in his home land whenever he comes out on the field.
Statistics : 13 apps , 8 goals , 2 assists.
An injury plagued start to this season has seen Rooney’s performances toned down a bit. But whenever he has played, he has shown glimpses of his exquisite class and technique. His partnership with Persie has been enticing to watch and he has let the Dutchman acquire a more central role in the team. Watch out for “the Bear” for the rest of the season
Robin might prove to be the most important player in the current United squad, but he would be much less significant without the team that he is part of! If United go on to achieve the 20th title this season, it will be a tribute to team United and not just RVP alone.
