Is Sir Alex creating another winning generation for Manchester United?

Watching the game on Monday evening, it became staggeringly obvious that Sir Alex Ferguson is creating yet another superb title contending generation at Manchester United- version 4.0.

As the season 2010-11 ended, so did the careers of Edwin Van der Sar as well as Paul Scholes and it was the same story a few months earlier with Gary Neville. Leaving only Ryan Giggs left of that golden 90’s generation.

At the start of this season they have all been replaced. If not with new transfers coming in, youth players climbing the Manchester United ladder of development for years have replaced them. Starting at the back, with Vidic and Ferdinand both sidelined against Spurs on Monday, Phil Jones (19), Chris Smalling (21) and Jonny Evans (23) all started in the back four. With David De Gea (20) as their commander behind them. It appears to be an obvious plan for Sir Alex to replace players from his previous generation, with young yet-to-be completely developed players, but with the possibility of playing at the club for at least a decade. First as understudies or substitutes to already existing world-class players and furthermore developing into lead characters.

And how great a recipe could that prove to be? With Jones, Smalling and Evans learning each day in training from the experience and professionalism of the likes of Vidic and Ferdinand. As well as pairing them together in matches, furthermore slowly and gently preparing them for one day to take their place.  Also, the Brazilian twins, aged 21, who didn’t play on Monday, should also be considered rising stars with world-class potential along with the aforementioned young defenders.

In the midfield and further forward old legs have also been replaced. New exciting players such as Ashley Young and Tom Cleverly has been added in the midfield, one purchased and one from the academy respectively,  along with already established players such as Nani and Anderson. Going further forward and looking at how Berbatov has fallen down the pecking order can symbolize Sir Alex’s way of thinking; he’d rather play a young striker (in this game he took the shape of Danny Welbeck) with the future ahead of himself, rather than an aging 30 year old. Despite the fact that Berbatov was Man United’s top goalscorer last season.

And whilst Rooney- still only 25 years old, and Welbeck are both starting to find a connection on the pitch, the possibly best transfer of last season is slowly getting ready to get started as well; Javier Hernandez, aged 23, will soon come back from injury to add an even bigger threat to Man. United’s opponents.

Also, apart from the signing of De Gea, it appears that Ferguson has prioritised signing English players. Young, Smalling, Jones are all utterly exciting prospects for the international team in years to come. An interesting and positive approach as far as the further development of the international team is concerned.

One should be careful reading too much into this, after all it is still very early in the season, and in the careers of some of these players, but on Monday against Spurs the Manchester United starting eleven’s average age was 23 years and one month. That’s the second youngest team Sir Alex has ever introduced in a Premiership match. And for the greater part of the second half, they out-ran, out-passed and out-played Tottenham.

Sir Alex Ferguson is indeed, as he once stated, playing in the present but planning for the future. And this season could be the proper introduction of his golden generation .4.0.

ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.

Click here to have a look out our predictions for the 2011/2012 Premier League Season!

Or have a look at the ten strikers that we think will lead the race for the Golden Boot next season