Following on from a decent victory against Liverpool, Manchester United now have the dubious honour of facing off against Ajax in the Europa League. Whilst many fans choose to treat the Europa League as nothing more than a distraction from football’s more serious endeavours, it’s still a chance for more silverware and there’s no reason to turn your nose up at that.
The fact is, however, United are in the comfortable position of not caring whether they win or lose. As such, they can put out a relatively experimental team and it doesn’t really matter if they win or lose. It will afford youngsters who wouldn’t otherwise get a shot a chance to shine. What’s more Man City are in the Europa League too, so will have the same worries when it comes to fatigue in the Premier League.
Apparently Ferguson is also using the competition as a kind of talent-scouting showcase. When United square off against Ajax, one of their main concerns will be keeping the much talked about Danish teenager Christian Eriksen under wraps.
The Danish International has garnered links to many of Europe’s top clubs – including Manchester United – following a number of remarkable showings for club and county over the last couple of seasons. His progress hasn’t gone unnoticed by Sir Alex Ferguson, who had the following to say:
“There’s been a lot of attention on him. Everybody’s been watching him. We’ll see what he’s like.”
Now there’s two ways of interpreting those comments. Either Fergie is concerned about the damage Eriksen could do against United or he’s looking to see if he’s a viable future transfer target for Manchester United.
What’s most impressive when it comes to Eriksen is his age-defying speed of thought on the football pitch. He has a knack for making the right decision at the right moment and this is why he has earned a reputation for being one of the brightest young talents in world football. He’s surprisingly fast, intelligent and has great vision enabling him to dictate the pace of the game from the centre of midfield. United could well be in with a challenge this Thursday night.
The talent’s clearly there, but given that he’s just 19-years-old, it would be a bit of a gamble to bring him over to the Premier League. Whilst he has been a success with Ajax, there’s no guarantee he could replicate that kind of form in the much tougher Premier League.
For me, however, it’s a gamble that’s well worth taking. United used to have a reputation for being the home of young talent and with players like Ravel Morrison leaving, Sir Alex Ferguson should be looking to fill the void.
What’s your take? Is Eriksen the right man for the job?
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