When i saw the team i'll admit i didn't really know what kind of performance to expect from us. On paper it wasn't a bad side, but there wasn't really any natural width, so it was pretty obvious we wouldn't be playing our bog standard 4-4-2 or 4-4-1. Whenever we have played either a diamond or a 4-3-3 this season, we retained possession better than we have otherwise done but usually at the cost of losing a cutting edge up front.
So it was no surprise to see us boss the early stages, but i thought for most of the first 55 minutes or so we actually had a reasonable cutting edge as well. It was encouraging to see Hernandez and Welbeck start and do well as a pairing and work the system pretty well with lots of good movement, especially from Welbeck, who i thought had an excellent game baring in mind how little football he's had recently.
We had almost scored one fabulous goal after some brilliant passing and not long after we managed another great move, that this time, saw Cleverley apply the appropriate finshing touch, with a right foot curler into the corner of the net. Unfortunately the lead didn't last long as our defensive achilles heel returned to haunt us as we conceded just five minutes later as Collins headed home from a Joe Cole cross. We seemed to look nervous all game at the back, yet they didn't really create that much when you look back at the game, so it was a bit hard to understand.
Still United kept their heads and kept on probing, but we were unable to regain the lead before half time. The two negative's to take from the game were Rafael's deployment in midfield which i didn't really think worked and Kagawa's rusty performance. I thought Kagawa was involved the game but not effecting it enough, but then again he hasn't played much football and hasn't played much football for us, or got used to the way we play football yet. He could do with an injury free run for the rest of the season. Rafael didn't have a bad game, i just don't think he's suited to the role he was given. I could see him doing a half decent job further wide on the right but not really in the diamond shape. Another downside of his deployment was it left Smalling with out anybody in front of him at times and i don't think he is enough of a ntural right back to cope with that, he gave the ball away far too much.
I thought we started the second half pretty well and when they took the lead i wondered whether it was going to be one of those days. United's response wasn't what we have come to expect recently either as we struggled to create a chance after going behind. For once the substitions didn't really work, well until that last minute piece of magic anyway. The first change should have been to take Smalling off and move Rafael back to right back, not the last. Still we got there in the end, the ball from Giggs was sublime and Van Perie's first time chest control and shot was world class as Fergie described it as after the game. Giggs has shown over the last few games that if he is involved enough maybe he still has got something to offer next season. The problem is getting him enough game time i suppose.
My finance's could have done without a replay, but i didn't want to go out to them, not my favourite club. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a similar team when we play them again, stuck in the middle of the game between the dippers at home and Tottenham away. That will be some seven days of football.
So it was no surprise to see us boss the early stages, but i thought for most of the first 55 minutes or so we actually had a reasonable cutting edge as well. It was encouraging to see Hernandez and Welbeck start and do well as a pairing and work the system pretty well with lots of good movement, especially from Welbeck, who i thought had an excellent game baring in mind how little football he's had recently.
We had almost scored one fabulous goal after some brilliant passing and not long after we managed another great move, that this time, saw Cleverley apply the appropriate finshing touch, with a right foot curler into the corner of the net. Unfortunately the lead didn't last long as our defensive achilles heel returned to haunt us as we conceded just five minutes later as Collins headed home from a Joe Cole cross. We seemed to look nervous all game at the back, yet they didn't really create that much when you look back at the game, so it was a bit hard to understand.
Still United kept their heads and kept on probing, but we were unable to regain the lead before half time. The two negative's to take from the game were Rafael's deployment in midfield which i didn't really think worked and Kagawa's rusty performance. I thought Kagawa was involved the game but not effecting it enough, but then again he hasn't played much football and hasn't played much football for us, or got used to the way we play football yet. He could do with an injury free run for the rest of the season. Rafael didn't have a bad game, i just don't think he's suited to the role he was given. I could see him doing a half decent job further wide on the right but not really in the diamond shape. Another downside of his deployment was it left Smalling with out anybody in front of him at times and i don't think he is enough of a ntural right back to cope with that, he gave the ball away far too much.
I thought we started the second half pretty well and when they took the lead i wondered whether it was going to be one of those days. United's response wasn't what we have come to expect recently either as we struggled to create a chance after going behind. For once the substitions didn't really work, well until that last minute piece of magic anyway. The first change should have been to take Smalling off and move Rafael back to right back, not the last. Still we got there in the end, the ball from Giggs was sublime and Van Perie's first time chest control and shot was world class as Fergie described it as after the game. Giggs has shown over the last few games that if he is involved enough maybe he still has got something to offer next season. The problem is getting him enough game time i suppose.
My finance's could have done without a replay, but i didn't want to go out to them, not my favourite club. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a similar team when we play them again, stuck in the middle of the game between the dippers at home and Tottenham away. That will be some seven days of football.
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