Happy New Year...

So, the January transfer window opens... and Sir Alex has already indicated that, for us, it may as well not be. A bad stance to take?

Well, let's see. Big Eddy still looks as good a keeper as anyone else around- his confidence can take dips, but his ability is unquestionable. I simply don't trust the Pole as his understudy, and poor Ben Foster seems injured on a fairly permanent basis. We could do with another young keeper...

The defence, despite a bit more 'mixing and matching' this season, has generally appeared as solid and reliable as ever. When fit, we have Nev, Wes and Rafael to call upon at right-back, Patrice Evra is ably deputised by O'Shea on the left, and young Jonny Evans really has settled in well as cover for Vidic and/or Rio when necessary, which is good news for N.Ireland as well. Enough depth for the remiander of the year? Not sure. Nemanja Vidic is apparently suspended for the Inter Milan European Cup ties in February. If so, and if either Evans or Rio got a knock between now and then, we'd be relying on big O'Shea to cover the centre- not a comfortable thought for the San Siro trip or any subsequent European ties. So, I'd definitely be looking around for a centre-half, possibly an experienced player on a short-term loan.

Midfield, with the wonderfully gifted Michael Carrick firing passes around for fun, is looking increasingly able as the season progresses. The return of the Ginger Prince (even if only in a more 'bit part' role than in days of yore) is simply wonderful news- the lad is rightly regarded by many Reds as one of our all-time great attacking midfielders, and it will be a sad day when Paul has to finally 'call it a day'- hopefully there are a couple more 'Moscow' nights left for him and Giggsy yet. Young Fletcher has come on 'leaps and bounds' in ability this past few years, such that I would have no worries about pitching him in against anyone in Europe right now- what little he lacks in ability he more than makes up for in effort. Park, though willing to run all day, doesn't convince me to the same degree. Anderson is a great competitor, and I find the rumours that we'd even consider loaning him to Arsenal to be preposterous, unless Sir Alex is sure we can bring him back on an hour's notice, should we get hit with an injury crisis.

Out wide, Ronaldo continues to both delight and infuriate in equal measures. The lad is untouchable when he wants to be, but his mind isn't as focused on doing his best for Manchester United as you would expect a player of Sir Alex's to be. Quite simply, if he is still with us in February (and not in Madrid), I'd expect and hope that he'd settle into a strong run of form, one which will hopefully go a long way to seeing us retain our European crown.

On the other side, Nani is far from the player I'd hoped he'd become by now. Poor decisions, opting for personal glory over team success, have characterised his play more often than not. That's fine if it's 'coming off' but it's not. Despite having been at the club for quite some time now, he's still not ahead of the aging Giggs in my team selections. Giggsy may not have the legs for 90 minutes at the top level anymore, but his football brain and experience are invaluable. Quite honestly, I'd defintely be considering a bid for a top class left midfielder, one with the ability to perform as an out-and-out winger if needed.

Up front, we have the powerhouse that is Rooney, ably assisted by either Berbatov or Tevez. Which to go with should depend on the nature of the opposition, in my opinion. The Bulgarian is a master at unlocking tight defences with a deft pass or piece of trickery (West Ham at home springs to mind), but his effort off the ball is non-existant. He's very much a 'luxury' player. Carlos endears himself to most with his willingness to sweat blood for the cause- he's a great player to have if you need someone to drop into the 'hole' and virtually play as another midfielder- useful away from home, where the rapid counter-attack can be most effective.

We loaned young Campbell to Spurs for the season as part of the Berbatov deal (he seems to be doing ok there), so another striker (even on loan) wouldn't be a bad idea, but where do you find one with enough ability who isn't 'cup tied' for Europe??

Guess that why Sir Alex and his staff are on a sizable wage....


Anyway, Happy New Year to all reading. Hope 2009 turns out to be as 'Mancunian red' as 2008!