Why this Tottenham star could be the midfield maestro Ferguson so desperately needs:

Before the start of the season, I was unsure as to whether Luka Modric was the man to take Manchester United to the next level. Much speculation was made over the make-up of Ferguson’s midfield for the new season, with a few heavy favourites to slot into the role, but none of them ever materialised. The interest in Modric was well documented and left him at the centre of media speculation throughout the majority of the summer, but bids were reportedly turned down and the Croatian ended up staying with Spurs. However, after his performances so far this season, and the apparent need for quality in United’s midfield, I think that Luka would be the best possible January target for Ferguson.

Although some of the top managers are not always a fan of bringing new recruits in over the January window, I think that Man United need to step up their race for the Premiership title this year. In recent weeks it seems to have become more obvious that the gap in quality between Manchester City’s midfield and United’s is too big. When playing against the weaker sides in the league, United can do a job and make it look pretty comfortable at times, but that’s not the issue. Against the top teams, games in which the central midfield is arguably the most crucial position on the pitch, the quality isn’t quite there.

There is a lack of confidence over keeping the ball and being able to move it around the middle of the pitch, something which the good teams can pick up on and dominate over the course of 90 minutes. Another aspect is creativity, which they have out wide with Young and Nani, but lack through the middle, particularly at the moment without Tom Cleverley. Against Benfica, it felt like United often lost out in midfield battles and could have won the game if they were able to dominate that area of the pitch more, without letting players like Gaitan drift in and command the ball. The simple job of keeping the ball and engineering space seems to be one that the Manchester United players sometimes take for granted, and can appear rushed on the ball around the halfway line.

Modric appears to be the answer to these questions. You have to watch him carefully when he plays because he isn’t the typical creative midfielder that people sometimes make out. He plays deep, sometimes almost falling back into defensive midfield, where he picks up the ball and retains possession. I watched him intently the for the whole 90 minuted against Aston Villa last Monday and not only does he hardly ever give the ball away, but every touch and pass will create space and time for his team mates.

This kind of technical ability and consistency is something that United desperately need in their midfield. Having the discipline to move the ball into good positions through easy passes, combined with the energy and movement to always be creating options for team mates is a trait of Modric’s that United would hugely benefit from in a way that wouldn’t alter their style.

Contrary to popular belief, United do not need someone who will create chances, be in and amongst attacks and act high up the pitch as an attacking midfielder. They need someone to steady up the middle of the pitch, dictate the tempo and play short intelligent passes, giving other team mates the opportunity to attack the penalty area. Modric would provide that balance and disciplined quality to give united the chance of taking control of big games. Not only this, but recently, particularly against Villa, he demonstrated a desire to help out defensively and win the ball back for the team by chasing down and pressuring the opposition.

So many times in the Premiership you see goals conceded because the defending team got caught going backwards, not closing the opposition down early enough and lacking cover from midfield. Modric possesses the versatility and determination to do this, and is such an underrated component of team play, one that Man United could do with sooner rather than later.

Follow me on Twitter: @HazbTwit

Introducing the neat little app that’ll pay you to view content tailored to your interests:

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.