What is Anderson Best Position?

When he first arrived at Old Trafford, he was heralded as a creative powerhouse, with an eye for a pass and a goal. At least that is what I concluded from my detailed youtube research! Whatever about anything else, the eye for a goal assumption was slightly off.. It has been almost four years since Anderson arrived at United for around £17 million and I’m still not sure what his best position is.

Initially, he looked best suited to a combative/defensive midfielder type role. He went toe to toe with Gerrard at Anfield early in his career and came out on top. His solid frame and athleticism would also lend itself well to this position. Similarly, he is certainly not soft, doesn’t shirk a challenge and has that aggressive streak – all essential qualities for that holding role.

After that hugely impressive debut season for United, Ando’s progression wasn’t what it might have been, culminating in quite a poor campaign last time out. Honestly, he looked out of shape, unfocused and was very obviously nowhere near his best. He also returned home to Brazil without the permission of Fergie in January, further highlighting the drop in commitment that season. Obviously a serious injury was to come, ruling him out for nearly half the season, but his future at United was not looking great at one point.

However, following this injury and a serious car crash in the summer, Ando returned this season looking sharp and hungry. He had definitely shed a few pounds too. On a number of occasions this year, the boss has deployed him in a more attacking role, higher up the pitch. He has been quite good here, but I’m just not sure he is creative enough yet. Yes, he is a capable passer of the ball and has great vision – as displayed on occasion this season with some wonderful blind passes. Is this his best role though? Could he, say, fill Paul Scholes’s shoes?

It may be a bit unfair to compare him with the ginger ninja but it is certainly something worth thinking about. Should someone in this position have two good feet? Not even the staunchest of Anderson fans would claim that he has a sweet right foot. However, let me also point out: I rate Anderson. This is not an attack in any way on his ability; on the contrary, I think he will be a huge player for United in years to come. In fact, he is probably our most in form central midfielder at the moment. Maybe, he would be at his best in a box to box midfield role, in a traditional sense..

I do wonder what his best position is though. Has Fergie decided where best to deploy the Brazilian? I would be interested to hear other people’s thoughts on this, answer our poll below.

Tom Cleverley Biography

Thomas William "Tom" Cleverley, born 12 August 1989 in Basingstoke, Hampshire, but grew up in Bradford, West Yorkshire. He is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Manchester United. Although his regular position is in midfield, he is also equally able to play in defence when required.

In recognition of his sterling work for the reserves, on 24 July 2008, Cleverley was called up to the Manchester United first team for the remainder of their tour of South Africa and the match against Portsmouth in Nigeria. He made his first team debut against Kaizer Chiefs in the final of the 2008 Vodacom Challenge, coming on in place of Rodrigo Possebon at half-time, before he scored the third of United's four goals just after the hour mark.

He returned to regular reserve team duty for the 2008–09 season, but was given a first team squad number 35 when the first team squad list was announced on 15 August 2008, and was named on the bench for United's League Cup matches against Middlesbrough and Queens Park Rangers.

On 18 August 2009, Cleverley signed for Watford on loan. He was then able to play in the Hornets' match away to Nottingham Forest that evening. He started the match and was booked within four minutes of the start of the second half, but then sealed a 4–2 win with a goal in the second minute of injury time at the end of the game. Cleverley returned to Manchester United for the 2010–11 season, and travelled with the squad for their pre-season tour of the United States in July 2010.


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Darron Thomas Daniel Gibson Biography

Born 25 October 1987 in Derry, Northern Ireland. He is an Irish footballer who plays for Manchester United. Having previously been loaned out to Royal Antwerp and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Gibson was assigned the number 28 shirt in Manchester United Squad.

A former pupil of St Columb's College, Gibson played junior football in the Derry and District League, and then with Institute F.C. before joining Manchester United in 2004. He made his senior debut for United on 26 October 2005 in a League Cup game against Barnet, coming on as a substitute for Lee Martin. During the 2005–06 season he played regularly for Manchester United Reserves, helping them win a treble. He made 19 appearances, scoring twice. In May 2006, he won the prestigious Jimmy Murphy Award as United's youth player of the year and then played regularly for the United senior team during their pre-season summer games. Together with Dong Fangzhuo, Jonny Evans, Fraizer Campbell and Danny Simpson, he was one of several United players who spent the 2006–07 season on loan at Royal Antwerp. In October 2007, he was loaned out again, this time to Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he spent the majority of the 2007–08 season. At Wolves he scored once, against Burnley on 8 December 2007.

In International Career Gibson was at the centre of a dispute between the Irish Football Association and the Football Association of Ireland over the eligibility of players born within Northern Ireland to represent the Republic of Ireland. Normally, players not born within the territory of the Association they wish to represent must demonstrate to FIFA that they have a valid "connection" (ancestry or residence) with that territory. However, the unique position in Northern Ireland, whereby citizenship of the Republic of Ireland is the "birthright" of every person born on the island of Ireland if they so wish, meant that Gibson was eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland at international level. As a result, Gibson was approached to represent both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland at international level. In the wake of the controversy which this dispute engendered, certain other players from Northern Ireland have sought to take advantage of this application of the eligibility rules by FIFA. However, this does not (as yet, at least) appear to have "opened the floodgates", since of the three other senior players who sought to declare for the Republic of Ireland, Tony Kane and Michael O'Connor both reversed their initial decision and reverted to Northern Ireland and it turns out that a third, Marc Wilson, who opted to stay with the Republic of Ireland, has in any case a grandparent who was born in the Republic.

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Luis Antonio Valencia Mosquera Biography

Born 4 August 1985 in Lago Agrio, Ecuador. Commonly known as Antonio Valencia, is an Ecuadorian football winger who currently plays for Manchester United and the Ecuadorian national team.

Before he join Manchester United, he joined Wigan Athletic. On 30 June 2009, Valencia became Manchester United's first summer signing, having cut his holiday short to have a medical with the club. He has signed a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee, rumoured to be in the region of £16 million.

In international career , Valencia's gained his first international cap for Ecuador and netted his first two international goals in the process, coming in a 5-2 FIFA World Cup qualifying win against Paraguay. Three days later on March 30 he again scored in a qualifying match, this time netting in 2-2 draw away to Peru. Valencia played in all of Ecuador's 2006 FIFA World Cup matches, and was chosen as a nominee for FIFA's ideal 11 team, which recognises the top stars for every position in the World Cup.

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Darren Barr Fletcher Biograf

Born 1 February 1984 in Dalkeith, Scotland. He is a Scottish footballer who plays for Premier League club Manchester United. A product of United's youth academy, Fletcher initially struggled to break into the first team but now regularly features in the midfield. He usually plays in central midfield or right midfield but can provide cover for the defence as well.

Fletcher has been at Manchester United for his whole career coming up from the youth team. Fletcher joined Manchester United as a trainee in July 2000 and he signed a professional contract in February 2001. He was initially seen as a right midfielder in the David Beckham mould and was tipped by many to break into the first team with ease and stay there for many years to come. His first few seasons at the club, however, were marred by injury, and as he developed came to be viewed more as a central midfielder.

In the 2007–08 season, with the further arrival at the club of playmakers Owen Hargreaves and Anderson and winger Nani, Fletcher played even less than during the previous season, and was even rumoured at one time to want to leave the club out of displeasure at not playing enough. Indeed, as before, Ferguson preferred Carrick, Scholes, Giggs and Ronaldo to him in midfield, and he even played less than the new arrivals

The 2009–10 season has seen Fletcher consolidate his place in the heart of the United midfield, starting all the important games for United.

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Paul Scholes Biograf

Born 16 November 1974 in Salford, Greater Manchester, England. He is an English footballer who plays for Manchester United as a midfielder. He is a one club man, having spent his entire professional career with the 'Red Devils'.

Scholes was not a member of Manchester United's 1992 FA Youth Cup-winning squad that included future senior teammates David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs, but he was part of the youth team that reached the final in the following season, alongside Phil Neville. Scholes turned professional on 23 July 1993 and was issued with the number 24 shirt, but did not make his breakthrough into the senior squad until the 1994–95 season, when he made seventeen league appearances and scored five goals.

Scholes moved to the midfielder and forward attack positions in the 1997–98 after Roy Keane suffered a knee injury in late September and did not play again that season. United finished the season without a major trophy, only the second time in the 1990s that this happened.

In international career, Scholes made his international debut against South Africa in 1997 in a 2–1 friendly win at Old Trafford, and was included in the England squad for the 1998 World Cup. in July 2006, following Eriksson's departure, there was talk of Scholes making himself available for international duty again under new manager Steve McClaren, but nothing ever came of it. In May 2010, McClaren's successor Fabio Capello approached Scholes about a return to international football in the run-up to the World Cup in 2010, but the player rejected the offer saying he'd prefer to spend time with his family.


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Park Ji-Sung Biograf

Born 25 February 1981 in Goheung, Jeollanam-do, South Korea is a South Korean footballer who plays for the English club Manchester United and is the captain of the South Korean national team. Park Ji-Sung signed for Manchester United for £4 million from PSV Eindhoven.

In the closing months of the 2004-05 season, Park was scouted by Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester United, who was impressed with Park's lively style of play and superb fitness. On June 22, 2005 Park signed for English Premiership side Manchester United from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven for £4 million, subject to a medical and work permit. His work permit was initially denied, but was granted on July 5 following an appeal from United.

As expected, he impressed during Manchester United's pre-season tour of the Far East, as well as in the first game of the season against Everton with his tireless, pacey roaming of the pitch and pressuring of opponents, such that Ferguson picked him over Ryan Giggs and the popular Cristiano Ronaldo against Aston Villa on 20 August the following week. His lack of composure in front of goal is considered his main weakness.

On August 11, Manchester United announced that Park had extended his contract with the club until 2010. Speaking of Park's commitment to the club, Ferguson said "Ji-Sung has had an impressive first year and I'm pleased to have secured him to the end of the decade at least. He has adapted well to the Premiership. His awareness and ability are first class."


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Zoran Tošić Biograf

Born 28 April 1987. Tosic is a Serbian footballer who plays as a left winger for manchester united.
On 22 November 2008, the Daily Mail claimed that a deal had been agreed with his club for the midfielder to join Manchester United in the January 2009 transfer window.Tošić received his first taste of first team football on 20 January 2009, when he was named on the bench for United's League Cup semi-final second leg at home to Derby County. He made his debut in an FA Cup Fourth Round match against Tottenham Hotspur on 24 January 2009, when he came on as a 72nd-minute substitute for Cristiano Ronaldo.

On 27 January 2010, Tošić joined Köln on loan until the end of the 2009–10 season. He made his debut three days later, coming on as a substitute for Taner Yalçın in the 54th minute of Köln's 2–1 win away to Eintracht Frankfurt on 30 January. After five months with Köln, he returned to Manchester United in June 2010

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Owen Hargreaves Biograf

Owen Lee Hargreaves born 20 January 1981 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, He is a English football Player who plays as a midfielder for Manchester United. Beginning his professional football career in Germany with Bayern Munich in season 1998, then he signed for Manchester United on 31 may 2007 for a fee of around £17 million.

Hargreaves was finally unveiled as a Manchester United player on 1 July, having signed a four-year contract with the club. He was then revealed to the press on 9 July, along with fellow newcomer Nani. Hargreaves was given the number 4 shirt at Old Trafford.


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Corry John Evans

Born 30 July 1990 is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a midfielder or centre back for Manchester United. A Northern Ireland under-21 and senior international, he came through the United youth academy, like his older brother, first team centre back Jonny Evans. Evans is capable of operating in the centre of midfield or defense but was used mostly as a centre back during the 2008–09 season. He was then registered in the club's senior squad for the 2008–09 season and was assigned the number 31 shirt.

The Belfast-born youngster, who moved to England with his family when Jonny came over to join up with the United's Academy, has followed in the footsteps of his sibling in progressing through the Reds' youth ranks.

In the Under-18s, Corry was a mainstay in central midfield, but his strength in the tackle, reading of the game and ability on the ball also appear perfectly suited to playing at the back, which is why he was shortlisted by his coaches for the Reserves Player of the Year accolade in 2008/09.

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