Source: Manchester_EveningNews
Comment: Ferguson right to stay thrifty
It's amazing what a Manchester derby success and a win at Arsenal can do. Had City triumphed in the Carling Cup semi and United fallen at the Emirates, Reds fans and critics alike would have been giving Sir Alex Ferguson both barrels for his relative inactivity in the January transfer window. The airwaves, newspaper columns and fans forums would have been overloaded with irate Old Trafford punters and experts telling the United boss who he should have bought. They would have been apoplectic that the only business done by United was the capture of Fulham's 20-year defender Chris Smalling - and even he was sent back to Craven Cottage for the rest of the season. Of course, it would have been blamed on the huge Glazer debt and Fergie was being told not to dip into the £80m Cristiano Ronaldo cash. Eight days and three victories - against Hull, City and Arsenal - have saved us all that hysteria. It could have been a completely different picture. Just three days after the window opened at the beginning of the year United were dumped out of the FA Cup and in crisis. A month later the Wembley suits are being ordered and Chelsea are looking nervously over their shoulders. Of course, a striker to add to an attack that, Wayne Rooney apart, has yet to prove convincing would have been very welcome. It has been the one area that has had United fans twitching nervously whenever the England man falls to the turf. But Fergie has had to say his prayers, cross his fingers and rub his rabbit's foot because there are no goalscorers out there at this time of the year. When the opportunity has arisen Fergie has not dragged his heels. He captured Andy Cole, Diego Forlan and Louis Saha in the previous January windows. And he stunned everyone with the loan move for Henrik Larsson. But this year the biggest movers among the forwards in this country were Robbie Keane, Benni McCarthy and Eidur Gudjohnsen. None would really have added that much to the Rooney-led spearhead. Besides, he seems to be doing very nicely on his own at the moment - exactly why Fergie tore just the one cheque from his book. What do you think? Have your say.
