West Ham, Blackpool and Birmingham have all been relegated from the Premier League, albeit in contrasting circumstances. West Ham collapsed emphatically both on and off the field towards the end of the season with abysmal form on the pitch and controversary surrounding the sacking Avram Grant as well as a controversial end of season party.
Blackpool were defeated at Old Trafford and just missed out on a place in next season’s Premier League while Birmingham suffered a similar fate after losing to Spurs. It was generally conceeded that the standard of teams towards the lower half of the season were stronger this year, making for a more competitive league in general. It also meant that teams were relegated with a points tally which have been enough to keep them up in previous years.
Birmingham and Blackpool finished the season on 39 points; a total which would have put them in 14th position in the final table of the 2009/2010 season. To put in perspective, the two sides who finished in the same position as the relegated sides in that season, Hull and Burnley, finished the campaign on 30 points. Birmingham will be playing in Europe next season from the Championship, having won the Carling Cup..
The point is that these teams have some good players and there may be opportunities there to snap them up on the cheap. Firstly, I am not saying United should be looking for bargain basement players. We are the biggest club in the world and I would hope that we will be in the market for world class players in the summer and I’m sure we will be. However, it is a squad game more than ever now so why shouldn’t we look at what is available.
Similarly, the economic climate is such that why wouldn’t we look for value? It makes sense to see what’s out there. And what is out there? One name springs to mind immediately for me and that is Scott Parker. The former Chelsea midfielder was named the PFA player of the year this season and deservedly so. This is no mean feat in struggling side and he was inspirational throughout. He is the type of player we could use also in my view. He is combative, a good passer and has an intensity and a drive from midfield that perhaps we lack sometimes. He is also English, something which is becoming more prevalent in the modern game.
Clearly there are negatives. He is thirty for a start and wouldn’t exactly be one for the future. Also, he has never really produced outstanding form at a big club although he wasn’t exactly given every chance at Chelsea. He is surely on the move this summer and will be picked up relatively cheap. Although it is a squad game, there may be implications for people like Gibson so many fans would be against such a signing. Although they are different players.
Charlie Adam is another one who could be a possibility. The Scot has flaws, for sure. He is overweight for one thing. He is, however, a very talented player with unquestionable ability and a cultured left boot. There were strong rumours that Adam was about to join us on the final day of the January transfer window, among about ten other clubs. Again, he is no spring chicken at 25 and any signing would show a move away from a youth policy which has served us well. He is a good player but is he a United player? I don’t think so.
No player jumps out from the Birmingham squad, although one of their better players this season was Ben Foster, who recently left us!
Replacing Edwin Van Der Sar looks set to be the first piece of business this summer with the signing of De Gea from Athletico Madrid looking increasingly likely. Chances are Fergie won’t pick up a Parker or an Adam but it mightn’t be the worst concept of all time. There will be some big signings in the summer so it just depends on who leaves and where there is room.
What do you think? Should Fergie look a value signing like Parker or Adam?
What do you think
Submitted by Glory Glory Man Utd
