COMMENT: Send for Big Yin! No matter how you slice it, Manchester United fans, as things stand, with this team, the return of Marouane Fellaini can't come soon enough.
He still has a game to serve of his Premier League suspension, but we could see the big Belgian in action for the first time this season against Club Brugge.
To be sure of overcoming the Belgians and reaching the Champions League group phase, Louis van Gaal needs his best player - Wayne Rooney - at the top of his game. And that won't happen if the United manager persists with his captain foraging a lone, isolated role up front.
Since that flat performance at Villa Park on Friday, they've been queuing up to say Rooney's best days are behind him. No, he's not too old. No, he IS mobile enough. And no, he hasn't lost his edge.
The problem is, Wayne Rooney is a FAR better No10 than he is a No9. Rooney needs to be involved. He needs to be on the ball. And he needs to be facing the goal. At the moment, he's Van Gaal's dogsbody. No more, no less.
As far as strikers capable of leading the line, Rooney is it. You can't ask James Wilson to perform such a job at his age. And Chicharito? The Mexican is not one for working with his back to goal. Rooney is the same. But with Fellaini banned and United failing to replace Robin van Persie, he's Van Gaal's best option.
With the first-leg of their playoff at Old Trafford, United need to find a cutting edge. They need goals. For 180 minutes of Premier League football, United boast just two - and one of those came courtesy of Tottenham fullback Kyle Walker. Even more worrisome is the lack of chances being created.
United need to get their best player involved. And the only way of doing that is handing Fellaini a recall for Club Brugge. Throw the Belgian upfront, just as last season, and let Rooney play off and around him. That's when we'll see the United captain back to his best and his team's attacking potential being met.
This weekend, it's been all about David de Gea: his axing to the U21 squad, his parents joining him in Cheshire and Van Gaal questioning his temperament as Real Madrid continue their pursuit. But for all the fiasco of United's keeper problems, at least there's actually options available to Van Gaal. You can't say the same with the strikers.
And you also can't say the situation has snuck up on Van Gaal. He knew for months that he wasn't going to keep hold of Radamel Falcao last season. Just as it was his decision, on the golf course, to let Robin van Persie know it was time to move on.
Yet, no-one was lined up to replace either senior man. Oh, and by the way, it's now been OVER a month since Van Persie was sold to Fenerbahce.
Intermediaries have told tribalfootball.com not to expect any movement on the striker front until United's Champions League status is decided. But its cutting things fine that the selling club will have less than a week to find a replacement should United come knocking after a successful second-leg.
And that's if they're successful. As unlike United, Club Brugge have no problem finding the back of the net. They hit three against Panathinaikos to set up this tie. And on Friday, they banged home another two for victory over Kortrijk. The Club Brugge players now boast five competitive games in their legs this season, compared with United's two.
Player for player, United are the superior team. No question. But the performances of the opening two games has been disjointed. Without the spark and aggression of Rooney at the hub of things, United's possession game has largely been uninspiring. The passing needs the snap and zip Rooney provides. But the United skipper, for his own sake, also needs to be more involved. For the timing and rhythm of his game, he needs to be on the ball.
Even for Rooney's self-belief, which may be wavering after a sluggish start, Van Gaal must get his No10 more involved.
This week, the manager needs to send an SOS to Maroune Fellaini. Van Gaal needs him. Rooney needs him.
INJURY TIME
DJ Buffonge featured again for Manchester United U18s in yesterday's defeat to Everton.
The talented midfielder hails from Fulham's academy and has been trialling with United for the past fortnight.
Buffonge was again impressive in the 3-1 defeat, creating the free-kick from which the highly-rated Callum Gribbin struck United's lone goal.
Many connected at Fulham rate Buffonge the pick of their U16 group and there's a resignation that he will sign for United in the coming days.
United reckon they have a couple of potential first teamers in Paul McGuinness' squad. Gribbin trained with the first team this preseason and Marcus Rashford is regarded highly inside English football.
United almost lost Rashford to Manchester City last season before securing him to new terms. Chelsea and Arsenal also made contact before he committed to United.
As with Buffonge's case, the battle for talent at junior level is absolutely red hot.
