GOALKEEPERS:
Edwin van der Sar:
Appearances: 33
Rating: 10
His imminent retirement presents a huge problem for United, given his enduring class at the age of 40. Kept 14 clean sheets in the Premier League and few keepers can match his shot-stopping and overall influence.
Tomasz Kuszczak:
Appearances: 5
Rating: 4
Set to leave United too, but under very different circumstances to van der Sar. Jittery display at Blackburn summed up his season and why it’s time to move on after five seasons as a mediocre understudy.
DEFENDERS:
Rafael Da Silva:
Appearances: 15 Goals: 0
Rating: 7
Has emerged as United’s first-choice right-back and worked hard to curb the rash streak which made him a liability at times. Is happier going forward but has improved in his defensive duties and is more disciplined.
Rio Ferdinand:
Appearances: 19 Goals: 0
Rating: 8
Blighted by injury for the second season running, he remains a world-class defender and United are a different team with him in alongside Vidic. His return towards the end of the campaign after missing February and March was crucial.
Nemanja Vidic:
Appearances: 34 Goals: 5
Rating: 10
One of United’s best performers this season, the captain was a model of defensive consistency once again, his fearless, uncompromising style marking him out as the Premier League’s best centre-back. Scored some crucial goals too.
Patrice Evra:
Appearances: 34 Goals: 1
Rating: 7
By his own high standards not a vintage season, with some below-par displays, but he remains United’s first-choice left-back. Penned a new deal midway through season that ended speculation about a move to Spain.
John O’Shea:
Appearances: 19 Goals: 0
Rating: 6
United’s most versatile player showed his value to the squad, covering a multitude of positions and underlining why he remains a solid, if unspectacular, member of Sir Alex Ferguson’s personnel.
Chris Smalling:
Appearances: 14 Goals: 0
Rating: 7
A revelation in his first season, he formed an impressive understanding with Vidic when Ferdinand was out injured and was not fazed by playing at the highest level after his meteoric rise to the top.
Fabio Da Silva:
Appearances: 11 Goals: 1
Rating: 7
Had to bide his time to make an impact this season, but did so with a run of games at right-back towards the end of the campaign, proving his versatility at being able to switch from either side. Scored solitary Premier League goal at Wigan.
Jonny Evans:
Appearances: 12 Goals: 0
Rating: 6
Confidence took a huge knock with nightmare display in 4-0 Carling Cup defeat at West Ham, but came back into the team late on in the season and was reliable against Everton, Chelsea and Blackburn.
Wes Brown:
Appearances: 7 Goals: 0
Rating: 3
Certain to leave United this summer after 13 years in the first-team, injuries and woeful form took their toll on him in a campaign he will not look back on with fond memories.
Gary Neville:
Appearances: 3 Goals: 0
Rating: 2
Called time on his distinguished United career after a wretched display at West Brom, when he conceded a blatant penalty that was never given. Should also have been sent off at Stoke. A legend who knew when it was time to go.
MIDFIELDERS:
Nani:
Appearances: 32 Goals: 9
Rating: 9
Another with a legitimate shout for United’s player of the season award, his nine goals and 18 assists made him a key man. Less effective when Valencia returned to the side and he was switched to the left.
Ryan Giggs:
Appearances: 25 Goals: 2
Rating: 9
What more can be said about United’s most decorated player? A 12th Premier League title at 37 says it all. Stepped up to the mark when it mattered and will play on next season. His influence remains huge, despite age.
Michael Carrick:
Appearances: 28 Goals: 0
Rating: 8
Will never get fans off their seats in excitement but his diligence and no-nonsense style gives United’s more creative players the freedom to flourish. When he can find his range, there are few better passers in the league.
Ji-Sung Park:
Appearances: 15 Goals: 4
Rating: 9
United badly missed his energy when he missed seven games on duty at the Asian Cup. Injury delayed his comeback but showed his importance with man-of-match display in 2-1 title decider win over Chelsea.
Antonio Valencia:
Appearances: 10 Goals: 1
Rating: 8
His season looked be over when he suffered a horrific ankle fracture, dislocation and ligament damage against Rangers in the Champions League. Returned to play a key role in the title run-in.
Paul Scholes:
Appearances: 21 Goals: 1
Rating: 6
Not the dynamic midfield force he once was, the years look to have finally caught up with him. Still a majestic passer of the ball, a two-match ban for totting up 10 yellow cards in the league summed up a season of frustration.
Darren Fletcher:
Appearances: 25 Goals: 2
Rating: 8
United badly missed him when he was struck down with a virus at the beginning of March, effectively ending his season. Will hope to be fit for the Champions League Final.
Anderson:
Appearances: 17 Goals: 0
Rating: 7
Has not had a proper pre-season behind him at United because of injuries, but showed why Ferguson has stuck with him with some sporadic dynamic midfield displays. Needs to do it more often and score more goals.
Darron Gibson:
Appearances: 12 Goals: 0
Rating: 6
Failed to make the anticipated breakthrough into the first-team this season and was famously forced off Twitter within hours after being bombarded with disgraceful abuse, some from his own fans. Possesses a fierce shot from long-range.
Gabriel Obertan:
Appearances: 7 Goals: 0
Rating: 4
Has pace in abundance but offered little else in his second full season at United, remaining on the fringes of the first-team. Likely to be loaned out or sold this summer.
Bebe:
Appearances: 2 Goals: 0
Rating: 2
Not his fault, but is out of his depth at this level, Ferguson’s £7million gamble on him looking like one of the United boss’s worst-ever pieces of business. Will be quietly ushered out of Old Trafford this summer.
Owen Hargreaves:
Appearances: 1 Goals: 0
Rating: 1
His United career is over after two years of misery following surgery on both knees. Comeback against Wolves in November lasted five minutes as he pulled up with a hamstring injury. Not featured since. A great shame for a fine player.
FORWARDS:
Wayne Rooney:
Appearances: 27 Goals: 11
Rating: 8
A turbulent campaign on and off the field, after a transfer request which was later resolved with him penning a new deal, Rooney atoned in the second half of the season with some colossal displays. Highlight the majestic overhead kick to win the Manchester derby.
Javier Hernandez:
Appearances: 27 Goals: 13
Rating: STAR MAN
United’s player of the season. He did not just score goals, he scored vital goals, 20 in all, 13 of them coming in the Premier League. Will go down as the buy of the season at £7m and one of Ferguson’s finest ever pieces of business, with his transfer value now in the region of £30-40m. Scored a host of winning goals and his pace and movement had Premier League defences terrified, with his form giving Ferguson no choice but to pick him as Rooney’s strike partner, despite Dimitar Berbatov’s 20-plus goalscoring exploits. Showed his coolness under pressure by scoring after just 36 seconds in the title decider with Chelsea at Old Trafford. An incredible debut campaign.
Dimitar Berbatov:
Appearances: 31 Goals: 21
Rating: 8
Says everything about the brilliance of Hernandez that Berbatov, the Premier League’s top scorer, could not get in the side towards the end of the season. Scored three hat-tricks, including a five-goal haul in a 7-1 win over Blackburn.
Michael Owen:
Appearances: 10 Goals: 1
Rating: 5
Another frustrating season for Owen, who was fit for much of the campaign but pushed out of the picture because of the exploits of Rooney, Hernandez and Berbatov. Out of contract at the end of this season, he finally picked up a long-awaited league medal.
Federico Macheda:
Appearances: 7 Goals: 1
Rating: 4
Loaned out to Fiorentina midway through the season, Macheda scored one of United’s goals in the comeback from 2-0 down at Aston Villa to draw 2-2 and will return to fight for his place this summer.
Tiada ulasan:
Catat Ulasan