I know last night was really just a 90 minutes to get through unscathed ahead of Sunday's vital clash against Arsenal, but even so, that was just dire, especially that first 45 minutes. As soon as you saw the team, it was obvious there weren't going to be any firweorks. There was a stunning lack of mobility on the teamsheet, which showed up in the ponderous nature of our play during the first hour of the game. But the Basque outfit were so poor at Old trafford that last night was a wasted chance to put qualification to bed.
Obviously we did finally manage to create some chances in the second half, but if we'd sometimes start games with the intent we managed to show for that brief quater of an hour, maybe we'd make things easier for ourselves rather than harder.
The back four saw three players the wrong side of thirty, two of whom, i don't think will be here next season, who knows with Vidic. And once again Smalling was asked to do a job he's patently not cut out to do, he made some great overlapping runs in the first half, of course once there, he didn't know what to do. On the other side Evra was being asked to do the same job, but it took it's toll on him as he struggled to get back at times. All this of course as Fabio sits on the sidelines, seemingly having been sent to Siberia. I know all managers have their own idea of what they want to see in a footballer, but Buttner at left back and Smalling at right back ahead of Fabio, sure bamboozles the fuck out of me.
If there was a lack of mobility, Smalling aside at the back, central midfield was no different with Giggs partnering Fellaini. Giggs didn't really have one of his better nights as he celebrated yet more milestones on the night, 950 games for United and a champions league record appearance. Opinion of Fellaini's game seemed to be split between between those who think he did alright, doing the simple things and keeping things ticking over and those of us who think that was never the performance of a Manchester United player in a million years. Obviously you could say well what's Anderson been doing for the last few years. But that was the point, he was supposed to be bringing fresh midfield legs into the squad to improve things. So far, I see no improvement.
Kagawa and Valencia seemed to have been told to cut in to let the full backs overlap, for the first half at least. I suppose that it was fair enough to ask Kagawa to do that, he wants to do that anyway. But asking Valencia to do that, just seems to negate everything that's good about his game.
Rooney and Hernandez lived on scraps, it's fair to say, but neither player really touched any heights. I know the game had got stretched by the time Van Persie and Young came on and Kagawa moved inside. But for a quarter of an hour United actually looked a potent attacking force, mainly through the movement and vision of the Japanese wannabe number ten. He's like a different player when he moves inside, and at times lifts United up a level.
I've said my piece about Rooney often enough, he's not mobile enough at number ten, but he's still at top number nine. My ideal United team with our present personnel would see Kagawa at number ten with Januzaj on either left or right interchanging with the Japanese international and one of Rooney or Van Persie up front, it'll never happen of course.
As Januzaj is showing, this season was the perfect time to have started to bring our younger talent through. They have the skill, enthusiasm and legs, even if they haven't got the experience to rely on them all the time yet. I still think we have enough talent coming through at the club not to be too worried about the future. But they need to start getting opportunities, next season will be very interesting.
For all the talk of Young's dive, it was and it was embarrassing, I thought we were unlucky not to be awarded an earlier one when I thought Kagawa was bundled over in the box. As with the commentators and everybody else, I think, I thought the keeper had saved it on first viewing. I don't blame players for missing penalties, but especially when they hit post. It wasn't really Van Persie's night as he hit the post when he probably should have hit the target.
The night ended on a low with the sending off, it was soft really, none of his tackles hurt anybody. But then again he can be clumsy and on the evidence so far, I'd say Scholesy was a more natural tackler than the big Belgian. That's not what we were supposed to be buying, especially for that price tag.
I suppose if we win on Sunday, last night will be totally forgotten, especially as the other result, went for us, we're still top of the group, with qualification in our own hands.But it would be nice to go away in Europe, every now and then, and remember the traditions of the club for exciting attacking football.
Obviously we did finally manage to create some chances in the second half, but if we'd sometimes start games with the intent we managed to show for that brief quater of an hour, maybe we'd make things easier for ourselves rather than harder.
The back four saw three players the wrong side of thirty, two of whom, i don't think will be here next season, who knows with Vidic. And once again Smalling was asked to do a job he's patently not cut out to do, he made some great overlapping runs in the first half, of course once there, he didn't know what to do. On the other side Evra was being asked to do the same job, but it took it's toll on him as he struggled to get back at times. All this of course as Fabio sits on the sidelines, seemingly having been sent to Siberia. I know all managers have their own idea of what they want to see in a footballer, but Buttner at left back and Smalling at right back ahead of Fabio, sure bamboozles the fuck out of me.
If there was a lack of mobility, Smalling aside at the back, central midfield was no different with Giggs partnering Fellaini. Giggs didn't really have one of his better nights as he celebrated yet more milestones on the night, 950 games for United and a champions league record appearance. Opinion of Fellaini's game seemed to be split between between those who think he did alright, doing the simple things and keeping things ticking over and those of us who think that was never the performance of a Manchester United player in a million years. Obviously you could say well what's Anderson been doing for the last few years. But that was the point, he was supposed to be bringing fresh midfield legs into the squad to improve things. So far, I see no improvement.
Kagawa and Valencia seemed to have been told to cut in to let the full backs overlap, for the first half at least. I suppose that it was fair enough to ask Kagawa to do that, he wants to do that anyway. But asking Valencia to do that, just seems to negate everything that's good about his game.
Rooney and Hernandez lived on scraps, it's fair to say, but neither player really touched any heights. I know the game had got stretched by the time Van Persie and Young came on and Kagawa moved inside. But for a quarter of an hour United actually looked a potent attacking force, mainly through the movement and vision of the Japanese wannabe number ten. He's like a different player when he moves inside, and at times lifts United up a level.
I've said my piece about Rooney often enough, he's not mobile enough at number ten, but he's still at top number nine. My ideal United team with our present personnel would see Kagawa at number ten with Januzaj on either left or right interchanging with the Japanese international and one of Rooney or Van Persie up front, it'll never happen of course.
As Januzaj is showing, this season was the perfect time to have started to bring our younger talent through. They have the skill, enthusiasm and legs, even if they haven't got the experience to rely on them all the time yet. I still think we have enough talent coming through at the club not to be too worried about the future. But they need to start getting opportunities, next season will be very interesting.
For all the talk of Young's dive, it was and it was embarrassing, I thought we were unlucky not to be awarded an earlier one when I thought Kagawa was bundled over in the box. As with the commentators and everybody else, I think, I thought the keeper had saved it on first viewing. I don't blame players for missing penalties, but especially when they hit post. It wasn't really Van Persie's night as he hit the post when he probably should have hit the target.
The night ended on a low with the sending off, it was soft really, none of his tackles hurt anybody. But then again he can be clumsy and on the evidence so far, I'd say Scholesy was a more natural tackler than the big Belgian. That's not what we were supposed to be buying, especially for that price tag.
I suppose if we win on Sunday, last night will be totally forgotten, especially as the other result, went for us, we're still top of the group, with qualification in our own hands.But it would be nice to go away in Europe, every now and then, and remember the traditions of the club for exciting attacking football.
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