Assessing Anderson – Flop Or Not?

Anderson, is he better than Kleberson? Is he really our midfield magician? Is he class with the brass? And does anybody actually believe that he “shits on Fabregas”?

I have observed Anderson now for the four years he has been at Old Trafford and have been genuinely disappointed by a player that joined United with so many glowing references and potential, he was dubbed the “new Ronaldinho”. All the top European clubs were supposedly interested in him in 2007 when United swooped to secure his services for a whooping transfer fee of £20.4million from Portuguese outfit Porto.

One word sums up Anderson in my opinion, disappointing. So much hype was made of Anderson that in his first season at United he unexpectedly was thrust into the first team due to first team injuries and excelled. Supporters were delighted at the way he fitted into the team and held his own against opposition players like Ces Fabregas, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. It seemed money well spent at the time and Anderson soon became a fans favourite.

Following that impressive first season Anderson has sadly failed to live up to the hype and has failed to nail down a first team place in the three years that followed his first season. So is Anderson actually better than Kleberson? Both players are Brazilian and have represented United. Kleberson’s two seasons at United were disrupted by injury and he only made 30 appearances for the reds scoring 2 goals. Anderson has played 140 games scoring 7 goals.

The thing with Anderson is that fans keep reiterating the point that “Anderson will come good he is only young” or that at the start of every season “this will be Anderson’s season”. I am not usually disillusioned with players who play for the club I support but Anderson is certainty an exception as he continues to frustrate and disappoint me. I would actually go as far as to say I don’t know who I would choose if I was asked the question “who was the better player for Man Utd, Kleberson or Anderson”? And that in itself Sums up Anderson’s career at the theatre of dreams.

Is he our midfield magician?

The definition of the word “magician” is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means. These feats are called magic tricks, effects, or illusions. Can any United fan actually say that Anderson has staged any seemingly impossible tricks or illusions in his time playing for United? I somehow doubt it.

Is he class with the brass?

He can certainty afford it considering the wages he has picked up during his career at United, but it remains uncertain if he is “class”!!

Does he “shit on Fabregas”?

In one word – No! Fabregas was a sensation in the premier league and has took his impressive consistent form with him to Spain playing for Barcelona, something that Anderson has failed miserably in ever doing, performing to a high standard consistently.

Fabregas has also always had goals in him, something that Anderson has and never really looks like he will ever add to his game as he poses no threat in front of goal. Fabregas also has an impressive assist to games ratio and is a play-maker, could you say the same about Anderson?

I have honestly never seen a player given such a run of game at United who fails to impress. I suspect if United had paid £1million for him that he would have been shown the door a long time ago.

Also people say he is still only young and will come good, but I ask you this, how long can Anderson keep under performing at one of the biggest, if not the biggest club in the world before the manager accepts he is just not up to the task and decides to offload him like he did with another expensive flop Juan Sebastian Veron?

Anderson could just be slightly better than Kleberson, he is definitely not out midfield magician, it remains unconfirmed that he is class with the brass, and there is not a chance that he shits on Fabregas!