Anderson's Attitude Problems Will Be Sorted Out

The rumour mill has gone into overdrive recently: papers claimed that Anderson would be sold after a bust-up with Fergie before the Community Shield clash when he reacted angrily to the news that he had been omitted from the starting line-up.

I don't know if this particular story is true but it is entirely conceivable that Anderson does have attitude problems. The story about the poolside party at Ronaldo's... it might not be a coincidence that Anderson was used much less in the second part of the 2007/08 season than in the first. And he was on the fringes of the team for most of last season, earning a recall only at the late stages.

He justified that second chance with fine displays at Porto and twice against Arsenal in the Champions League. However, we must admit that Anderson is hardly the consummate professional. It's not certain his fury was caused by being left out of the Community Shield, it could be that he simply took Fergie's criticism badly - rumours say that the boss wasn't pleased with his application in training.

But to sell him because of one bust-up? That's not like Fergie: he's a hot-headed man but he does not make decisions on the spur of the moment, he's trying to cover every angle, every possibility. He repeated, on several occasions, after the Community Shield as well, that we would not sign any more players. Seeing that central midfield is easily the weakest part of the team anyway it is unlikely that Fergie would sell one of the players capable of covering that position without securing a replacement.

And anyway, he said he expected big things of Anderson. He will give him another chance, even though his performance at Burnley verged on the disastrous albeit one must admit he was deployed in a very unfamiliar position, on the left side of the midfield. He was completely left out of the squad at Wigan but that in itself does not indicate anything: Michael Carrick and Ji-Sung Park were both watching from the stands and Fergie obviously won't sell half of the squad...

No, I believe Fergie does have faith in Anderson - it's waning but it's there - and he will do everything to sort out any disciplinary problems. The boy is only 21, he is in an impressionable age and he's still got time to realise that listening to Sir Alex is his best chance.

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