A disappointing performance, but what a final few minutes, whilst we all like to think there are no such things as lost causes for United, the masters of the last minute comeback, the fact is last season we misplaced this part our DNA. United had one of the worst records in the league for coming from behind. If we went behind last season you feared the worst. So as well as the elation of turning a seeming certain defeat into three points withing a couple of minutes at the end of yesterday's game, it was welcome to see the return of no such thing as a lost cause.
As for the performance though, well it left a lot to be desired, we are still playing like a bunch of strangers at times, player's not really sure of their exact role in the scheme of things. It was a suprise to hear that Ferdinand was going to be in the line up next to Vidic, though not as much as seeing De Gea dropped to the subs bench for Lindegaard. I really didn't and still don't get that. Alright De Gea didn't cover himself in glory for the second Fulham goal last week, but he had made enough top class saves in the first two games to make amends for that. With our back four changing week by week, game by game even, keeping the number one jersey consistent should surely be a must. Lindegaard didn't make any howlers, but he didn't really justify De Gea's demotion.
United started well, for the first ten minutes we bossed possession and were looking good. Once Southampton got into it however United just seemed to fall away, again we looked ropey at the back, but this time the midfield didn't function at all. As well as Kagawa played in the first two matches he was a problem for us yesterday as he just couldn't get into it at all. The man who was there to knit things together and be the creative fulcrum just seemed to be finding himself too deep and was bullied off it as for instance when Southampton took the lead. It was a decent enough pass to him from Cleverley, but he was too slow, and once dispossessed we were int trouble, it was still a soft goal to concede.
United did well to respond fairly quickly, and i'll have to hold my hands up here, i was fairly lukewarm about the signing of Van Persie when it was first mooted, though excited once the signing was made. I didn't think there was that much wrong up front, at least in comparison with other area's of the squad. But in his first two games, i now see why Fergie was so desperate to get him, he looks the best centre foward we have had at the club since Van Nistelroy left for Real Madrid. Let's face it without him yesterday we would have left with nothing. He was excellent, fucked up penalty apart, three completely different type of goals and his link up play was excellent.
Van Persie and Fergie both mentioned the introduction of Scholes as the game changer, and he was that without doubt, but i thought Le Tissier made a fair point when saying if he had been on earlier in the game he wouldn't have had as much room and wouldn't have been as big an influence. It's fair to say Cleverley wasn't at his best either yesterday, but i put that down to the formation. In both our away games so far we have started with a 4-3-3 and it's fair to say we haven't looked very comfortable with it. Strange really it became our default formation whilst Ronaldo was at the club, so i'm not sure why we seem to be so uncomfortable with it so far.
Still three points is three points, as we go into the first international break of the season. It's hard to judge where we are at the moment, it would be nice to see a consistent back four and to see Phil Jones back, i prefer him to Rafael at right back. Miguel Delaney made a fair point in his analysis of the game, United have not found the right balance between attack and defence, a similar problem to the one we had at the beginning of last season when we were scoring goals for fun, but looked like conceding at will as well, and of course we eventually did, at home to City, of all team's to do it against. So still a work in progress, but we haven't forgot how to win.
Former reds back up goalie Van Der Gouw predicts big things for new left back Buttner, there were rumours he would start in front of an injured Evra yesterday, i don't know what happened there, there didn't seem much wrong with Evra who lasted the 90 minutes easily.
Mike Brealey asks not just why is Andrew Strauss retiring from the England captaincy, but from cricket altogether, fascinating as always. I can't believe that Pietersen didn't play at least a small part in his decision, but i suppose if he says it didn't, you have to take him at his word. I still wouldn't taking Pietersen to India, though i get the feeling that he'll go.
I wasn't very confident ahead of Lancs ccc semi final at home to warwickshire on Saturday, and my pessimism was well founded as they kept up their decade long record of choking during the big one day matches. I read somehwere they have now lost 11 of their last 12 one day semi finals, that is an unbelievably poor record.
I suppose it didn't help that the wicket was completely atypical to the ones that they had been undefeated on, in the competition so far. How they managed to prepare a wicket more suited to opposition's attack than to Lancs with three spinners, i don't know. Still I didn't think 250 we ungettable and Horton's innings showed it wasn't, the top order just panicked when they couldn't keep up with the rate instead of going steadily and leaving themselves with say 100 of the last 10 overs with wickets in hand. It seems like an age ago when Lancy were the one day kings.
As for the performance though, well it left a lot to be desired, we are still playing like a bunch of strangers at times, player's not really sure of their exact role in the scheme of things. It was a suprise to hear that Ferdinand was going to be in the line up next to Vidic, though not as much as seeing De Gea dropped to the subs bench for Lindegaard. I really didn't and still don't get that. Alright De Gea didn't cover himself in glory for the second Fulham goal last week, but he had made enough top class saves in the first two games to make amends for that. With our back four changing week by week, game by game even, keeping the number one jersey consistent should surely be a must. Lindegaard didn't make any howlers, but he didn't really justify De Gea's demotion.
United started well, for the first ten minutes we bossed possession and were looking good. Once Southampton got into it however United just seemed to fall away, again we looked ropey at the back, but this time the midfield didn't function at all. As well as Kagawa played in the first two matches he was a problem for us yesterday as he just couldn't get into it at all. The man who was there to knit things together and be the creative fulcrum just seemed to be finding himself too deep and was bullied off it as for instance when Southampton took the lead. It was a decent enough pass to him from Cleverley, but he was too slow, and once dispossessed we were int trouble, it was still a soft goal to concede.
United did well to respond fairly quickly, and i'll have to hold my hands up here, i was fairly lukewarm about the signing of Van Persie when it was first mooted, though excited once the signing was made. I didn't think there was that much wrong up front, at least in comparison with other area's of the squad. But in his first two games, i now see why Fergie was so desperate to get him, he looks the best centre foward we have had at the club since Van Nistelroy left for Real Madrid. Let's face it without him yesterday we would have left with nothing. He was excellent, fucked up penalty apart, three completely different type of goals and his link up play was excellent.
Van Persie and Fergie both mentioned the introduction of Scholes as the game changer, and he was that without doubt, but i thought Le Tissier made a fair point when saying if he had been on earlier in the game he wouldn't have had as much room and wouldn't have been as big an influence. It's fair to say Cleverley wasn't at his best either yesterday, but i put that down to the formation. In both our away games so far we have started with a 4-3-3 and it's fair to say we haven't looked very comfortable with it. Strange really it became our default formation whilst Ronaldo was at the club, so i'm not sure why we seem to be so uncomfortable with it so far.
Still three points is three points, as we go into the first international break of the season. It's hard to judge where we are at the moment, it would be nice to see a consistent back four and to see Phil Jones back, i prefer him to Rafael at right back. Miguel Delaney made a fair point in his analysis of the game, United have not found the right balance between attack and defence, a similar problem to the one we had at the beginning of last season when we were scoring goals for fun, but looked like conceding at will as well, and of course we eventually did, at home to City, of all team's to do it against. So still a work in progress, but we haven't forgot how to win.
Former reds back up goalie Van Der Gouw predicts big things for new left back Buttner, there were rumours he would start in front of an injured Evra yesterday, i don't know what happened there, there didn't seem much wrong with Evra who lasted the 90 minutes easily.
Mike Brealey asks not just why is Andrew Strauss retiring from the England captaincy, but from cricket altogether, fascinating as always. I can't believe that Pietersen didn't play at least a small part in his decision, but i suppose if he says it didn't, you have to take him at his word. I still wouldn't taking Pietersen to India, though i get the feeling that he'll go.
I wasn't very confident ahead of Lancs ccc semi final at home to warwickshire on Saturday, and my pessimism was well founded as they kept up their decade long record of choking during the big one day matches. I read somehwere they have now lost 11 of their last 12 one day semi finals, that is an unbelievably poor record.
I suppose it didn't help that the wicket was completely atypical to the ones that they had been undefeated on, in the competition so far. How they managed to prepare a wicket more suited to opposition's attack than to Lancs with three spinners, i don't know. Still I didn't think 250 we ungettable and Horton's innings showed it wasn't, the top order just panicked when they couldn't keep up with the rate instead of going steadily and leaving themselves with say 100 of the last 10 overs with wickets in hand. It seems like an age ago when Lancy were the one day kings.
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