Never mind the quality, what about the width?

THERE has been so much talk about ‘fracas’ and ‘pizza’ this past week, you’d be forgiven for thinking they were the latest hot French and Italian strikers to descend on the Premiership.

But having wiped himself down after the so-called ‘Battle Of The Buffet’, Alex Ferguson will know better than most that he is still left with plenty of food for thought.

Outside Old Trafford last Sunday, anti-Malcolm Glazer activists were handing out cards featuring a picture of Eric Cantona and a statement from le grand homme expressing support for opposition to the takeover bid. “When Eric speaks, we all listen,” it read. Mais oui, but do we always understand? I was struck more by the contribution late this week of another Old Trafford legend, George Best, who, while he won’t have pleased the supporters with his refusal to line up against the American, put his finger on a matter of much more immediate concern, as United strive to build on last week’s big win.

“My advice to United would be to play a settled team,” said Best. “Every week there’s chopping and changing to keep everyone happy, but with Arsenal you could pick their side every week.”

When Best speaks - as long as it’s not from the bottom of the glass - I certainly listen. But his astute point begs an even bigger question: just what exactly is United’s best eleven right now? With the exception of Roy Keane, absent because of a flu virus, you’d have to say that Alex Ferguson showed his hand for the crucial game against Arsenal. And, in so far as United emerged with two goals, a clean sheet and all three points, it’s no surprise that the faithful were singing in the rain at the end. But only the most red-eyed could have concluded that United were by two clear goals the better side anywhere but on the scoreboard. For this was a win built on defensive fortitude and true grit spirit, rather than on genuine supremacy over Arsenal.

The result might still do wonders for United’s self-belief but if the team is to kick on from here, a number of key players will need to significantly enhance their contributions.

There appears a particular source of worry on both flanks, the areas of the pitch where, traditionally, United have given the most vibrant expression to their classic high-tempo, attacking style.

But not on Sunday, when both Ronaldo and Giggs struggled to make any impression on the game. Giggs has gone through fallow periods before and bounced back to confound his critics - and he badly needs to do so again. But if it transpires that the Welsh wizard has mislaid his wand for good, United fans will be entitled to ask why Ferguson failed to plan for the future by moving heaven and earth to get Damien Duff to Old Trafford. With Chelsea currently Arsenal’s leading challengers for the title, the failure to land the Premiership’s best left winger could yet come back to haunt United.

Ronaldo also has much to prove. Sensational when the mood takes him, his problem is one of lack of consistency allied to some poor decision-making. Last Sunday, he elicited the usual gasps with some dizzying tricks but over the course of the whole game crossed his legs more often than he crossed the ball. His very unpredictability is both a strength and a weakness. Dare we mention one David Beckham at this point? As an almost exclusively one-footed footballer, Becks may have had limitations for one so wildly hyped, but playing out on the right flank for United, that brilliant good foot used to ensure a ready supply of quality crosses for the strike force. This was predictability put to the best possible use.

Elsewhere, United shouldn’t have too much cause for concern. With Rio Ferdinand looking like he’s never been away, their defence is sound while Keane and Scholes still make for a formidable central midfield - although Brian Kerr won’t be too happy at the prospect of John O’Shea and Liam Miller perhaps struggling to make the team on a regular basis.

Up front, you suspect that once United start scoring freely it will be hard for anyone else to turn off the tap, though here again Ferguson must decide on a settled pairing from the likes of Rooney, Saha, Smith and Van Nistelrooy. With the latter facing into a three-match ban, Alan Smith could well seize the day to contend for honours alongside Rooney, who himself needs to find some consistency in his form after that explosive Champions League’ debut.

Still, never mind the quality, feel the lack of width. Not even the best strikers in the world will thrive if they don’t get the supply - and unless they get that right, it’s hard to see Manchester United progressing as wingless wonders.