We really have struggled with our pairs this season and it’s almost definitely a key factor in our indifferent form.

Our most celebrated pairing of recent time being that of Rio and Vida which through a mixture of injury, suspension and old father time has not been able to provide the usual protection, especially as it’s been needed more than ever after our main ‘one’ became our new ‘one’.

Evra and Young works to a point but both suffer from bouts of incomprehensible inconsistency from minute to minute in some games which doesn’t help.

We havent had a right back all season and with T.V leaving his brain on the luggage carousel after his summer hols and SAF not appearing to be a 100% sure where to play Nani we have problems that side too.

Up front Rooney is still sulking because his dad hasn’t put a bet on at the bookies for him for a while and with SAF losing all faith in Berba we have to suffer Rooneys form with no apparent third option for the second striker.

Of the ‘last man’ strikers, Owen is only fit when he’s not playing. Chicha has now had three injuries and Welbeck (a little injury prone himself) can’t simply carry the goal scoring burden on his young shoulders yet. Thus, no partnerships have flourished.

Chicha and Rooney click in flashes, but not every game or even every month. Maybe Berbatov with Chicha and Rooney dropping in to become the new Scholesy would work?

Which brings us to our midfield issue. Not only no pairings but no form from anyone full stop (Do I now need to end that sentence with a full stop?).