It has to be said, when i saw the line up, whilst having a pint before the match, i wondered whether that back four was taking the opposition a little for granted. It was a good job the attack was as strong as it was, otherwise this could have been another one of those embarrassing nights we have suffered in Europe over the last couple of seasons.
I don't know whether Fergie is purposely picking a strong attack almost every game as the best form of defence with our limited defensive resources or we're just getting lucky. Jones and Smalling can't get back quick enough, it wasn't really fair on Buttner starting him last night with Carrick at centre half. Saying that i'm not really sold on Buttner, he's not bad as a back up, but he doesn't look to have the class to have any chance of being Evra's permanent successor.
We couldn't have had a worse start going behind, in just the second minute. And what a soft goal it was, the cross came in far too easily and the goalscorer Alan was given all the time in the world to head home. It was another shocking start from us and it got worse when the second went in on the twenty minute mark, another terribly soft goal, this time Carrick was beaten far too easily. United fought their way back into the game and got a goal back after Henandez nodded home a fine Kagawa cross. It was the Japanese play maker's best moment in the game in what was another worryingly ineffectual performance from him. Mind you he did set up Hernandez again for what should have been a first half equaliser, but it was wrongly ruled out.
Kagawa received a knock just before half time and was replaced by Nani at half time, the Portugese winger didn't really improve things on the flank, giving one of his maddeningly inconsistent displays.
The equaliser was as scruffy as they come , but we''ll take them as Jonny Evans netted again, with United once more scoring from a corner. Cleverley had been one of our brighter performers on the night and his cross from the winner was like an action replay of David Beckham at his best. Hernandez made the most of it powering home the winning goal, before Fergie surprisingly took him off. With a hatrick beckoning and a place on the bench the liklihood for Sunday, there didn't seem much point in taking him off.
United tried to coast the latter stages, not that convincingly, but we got there in the end. Performance wise, we haven't set the world alight so far in Europe, but i'll take nine out of nine points. Hopefully we will wrap the group up in Portugal and get our returning injured and some of our fringe players a game over the last two games.
I don't know whether Fergie is purposely picking a strong attack almost every game as the best form of defence with our limited defensive resources or we're just getting lucky. Jones and Smalling can't get back quick enough, it wasn't really fair on Buttner starting him last night with Carrick at centre half. Saying that i'm not really sold on Buttner, he's not bad as a back up, but he doesn't look to have the class to have any chance of being Evra's permanent successor.
We couldn't have had a worse start going behind, in just the second minute. And what a soft goal it was, the cross came in far too easily and the goalscorer Alan was given all the time in the world to head home. It was another shocking start from us and it got worse when the second went in on the twenty minute mark, another terribly soft goal, this time Carrick was beaten far too easily. United fought their way back into the game and got a goal back after Henandez nodded home a fine Kagawa cross. It was the Japanese play maker's best moment in the game in what was another worryingly ineffectual performance from him. Mind you he did set up Hernandez again for what should have been a first half equaliser, but it was wrongly ruled out.
Kagawa received a knock just before half time and was replaced by Nani at half time, the Portugese winger didn't really improve things on the flank, giving one of his maddeningly inconsistent displays.
The equaliser was as scruffy as they come , but we''ll take them as Jonny Evans netted again, with United once more scoring from a corner. Cleverley had been one of our brighter performers on the night and his cross from the winner was like an action replay of David Beckham at his best. Hernandez made the most of it powering home the winning goal, before Fergie surprisingly took him off. With a hatrick beckoning and a place on the bench the liklihood for Sunday, there didn't seem much point in taking him off.
United tried to coast the latter stages, not that convincingly, but we got there in the end. Performance wise, we haven't set the world alight so far in Europe, but i'll take nine out of nine points. Hopefully we will wrap the group up in Portugal and get our returning injured and some of our fringe players a game over the last two games.
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