Not a night that will live long in the memory, but then i never expected it to be. With a mix of youngsters and the likes of Jones and Smalling returning from injury it was never really going to be that much of a spectacle. To be honest i half expected something even worse, but to be fair, i didn't think that we were that bad and the defeat was more than harsh on the players selected.
I suppose the criticism to be made of the team last night is that they did create chances, they just didn't take them. There was plenty of endeavour but the final bit of quality never materialised.
I was surprised to see Wooton start the game, not that he has done anything wrong, i just expected Smalling and Jones to pair up at centre half. I'm guessing Fergie had more than half an eye on Sunday afternoon. It's a pity that Michael Keane is on loan/injured, I'm not sure what the score is with him at the moment, but last night would have been a perfect night to have started him.
I was glad Welbeck got a timely start up front pairing Hernandez, and it was no real surprise to me that he gave a vastly improved performance in his favoured role. Pity that Cleverley couldn't manage to stand out before his enforced withdrawal before half time. His game really seems to have dipped at the moment, that i think needs a run of games to get back. Still it was a blow as i would think, even off form, he would have started on Sunday. He was replaced by Scholes who will surely now have to start on Sunday. Despite losing the ball that led to the goal, he looked in pretty good nick if he does get the nod against one of his favourite opponents.
The game didn't really hit the heights in the first half until the last five or so minutes when we could have scored about four. The save to keep out Welbeck's header from a corner was out of this world, in fact their goalie was the stand out player on the pitch for me. He made a handful of cracking saves and completely dominated his area, especially in the second half.
For all United's huffing and puffing, when they took the lead, and what a goal it was, no blame can really be ascribed there, i just felt it wasn't going to be our night. United tried alright, but that little extra conviction was missing from a game that we all knew didn't really matter, and with the game that really does matter, only a few days away.
So we go to City on Sunday for the biggest game of the season, not really in the best of form, if we're honest. But then i thought that when we went to Stamford bridge and we ripped them apart for the first twenty minutes, so I'm not too worried. It's not as if they are in the best of shape either, they were poor again in Dortmund on Tuesday. The only thing i ask for, is for us to go there and at least turn up this time, unlike that debacle at their place at the end of last season.
I suppose the criticism to be made of the team last night is that they did create chances, they just didn't take them. There was plenty of endeavour but the final bit of quality never materialised.
I was surprised to see Wooton start the game, not that he has done anything wrong, i just expected Smalling and Jones to pair up at centre half. I'm guessing Fergie had more than half an eye on Sunday afternoon. It's a pity that Michael Keane is on loan/injured, I'm not sure what the score is with him at the moment, but last night would have been a perfect night to have started him.
I was glad Welbeck got a timely start up front pairing Hernandez, and it was no real surprise to me that he gave a vastly improved performance in his favoured role. Pity that Cleverley couldn't manage to stand out before his enforced withdrawal before half time. His game really seems to have dipped at the moment, that i think needs a run of games to get back. Still it was a blow as i would think, even off form, he would have started on Sunday. He was replaced by Scholes who will surely now have to start on Sunday. Despite losing the ball that led to the goal, he looked in pretty good nick if he does get the nod against one of his favourite opponents.
The game didn't really hit the heights in the first half until the last five or so minutes when we could have scored about four. The save to keep out Welbeck's header from a corner was out of this world, in fact their goalie was the stand out player on the pitch for me. He made a handful of cracking saves and completely dominated his area, especially in the second half.
For all United's huffing and puffing, when they took the lead, and what a goal it was, no blame can really be ascribed there, i just felt it wasn't going to be our night. United tried alright, but that little extra conviction was missing from a game that we all knew didn't really matter, and with the game that really does matter, only a few days away.
So we go to City on Sunday for the biggest game of the season, not really in the best of form, if we're honest. But then i thought that when we went to Stamford bridge and we ripped them apart for the first twenty minutes, so I'm not too worried. It's not as if they are in the best of shape either, they were poor again in Dortmund on Tuesday. The only thing i ask for, is for us to go there and at least turn up this time, unlike that debacle at their place at the end of last season.
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