We managed to come away with the three points, but we were pretty awful, still if we can start to win, whilst playing crap, maybe we are back in business. The first quater of an hour was a nightmare start, it wasn't just the fact that we conceded the two goals, as bad as that was, but that the defending was just so inept. Jonny Evans had one of those games, where you start to wonder whether he can step up to the plate, once Rio and Vidic finish. Smalling wasn't that much better, but their second goal just about summed Evans first half display up.
When I saw the team I was reasonably confident, no Januzaj of course, but we know he isn't going to play every game. Flecther started for the first time since he returned, and did OK, whilst it was great to see Carrick back on the bench. I was happy to see Welbeck and Rooney start together, and those two at least didn't let us down. I'm not a big fan of Ashley Young, but he was also one of our better players on the day. It was a pity Rafael picked up the groin injury, as he had just started to hit top form and his partnership with Valencia has been superb over the last few games. Valencia's late red card means we will have a completely different right hand side at Norwich. Will Fabio get a chance, with Jones on the injured list for a couple of weeks apparently, a blow that, he must be in with a chance.
The defending for the home teams goals, was abysmal, hesitant, second to everything, we did well to come back into the game so quickly. I suppose you could say their defensive work was almost as bad as ours, Smalling got his a little too easily. But there wasn't much they could have done about Rooney's equaliser, it was just a brilliant goal. And once that went in United took control of the game for the rest of the half.
But United didn't really pick the pace up in the second half and I couldn't really see United getting the winner. Januzaj, started well, but never really hit the heights in the second half and the home crowd were doing their best to get him sent off. I was glad Moyes left him on, because if he had took him off, and it must have been a toss up between him and Young, no doubt other crowds will try and put him off his game.
In keeping with the game's defensive ineptitude, our winner came via ex red James Chester as he put Ashley Young's crosss past his own goalkeeper. United did have one other really good chance, when Welbeck fed substitute Hernandez and went a touch tonto, when he didn't receive the return pass to put him through on goal. I thought Welbeck was excellent again, without being at his very best, he still caused the home teams defence all kinds of problems.
I don't think Moyes got his last substitution right, we seemed to lose our grip on the game, and of course when Valencia got sent off, we were left hanging on. There doesn't seem much point in bringingHernandez on if you are then going to try and snuff the game out. He's not the type of player whose going to hold onto the ball, in a 4-3-3.
So onto Norwich, who will be desperate for a result as they sink down the table, with injuries and now red cards, it will be interesting to see the team selected for that.
When I saw the team I was reasonably confident, no Januzaj of course, but we know he isn't going to play every game. Flecther started for the first time since he returned, and did OK, whilst it was great to see Carrick back on the bench. I was happy to see Welbeck and Rooney start together, and those two at least didn't let us down. I'm not a big fan of Ashley Young, but he was also one of our better players on the day. It was a pity Rafael picked up the groin injury, as he had just started to hit top form and his partnership with Valencia has been superb over the last few games. Valencia's late red card means we will have a completely different right hand side at Norwich. Will Fabio get a chance, with Jones on the injured list for a couple of weeks apparently, a blow that, he must be in with a chance.
The defending for the home teams goals, was abysmal, hesitant, second to everything, we did well to come back into the game so quickly. I suppose you could say their defensive work was almost as bad as ours, Smalling got his a little too easily. But there wasn't much they could have done about Rooney's equaliser, it was just a brilliant goal. And once that went in United took control of the game for the rest of the half.
But United didn't really pick the pace up in the second half and I couldn't really see United getting the winner. Januzaj, started well, but never really hit the heights in the second half and the home crowd were doing their best to get him sent off. I was glad Moyes left him on, because if he had took him off, and it must have been a toss up between him and Young, no doubt other crowds will try and put him off his game.
In keeping with the game's defensive ineptitude, our winner came via ex red James Chester as he put Ashley Young's crosss past his own goalkeeper. United did have one other really good chance, when Welbeck fed substitute Hernandez and went a touch tonto, when he didn't receive the return pass to put him through on goal. I thought Welbeck was excellent again, without being at his very best, he still caused the home teams defence all kinds of problems.
I don't think Moyes got his last substitution right, we seemed to lose our grip on the game, and of course when Valencia got sent off, we were left hanging on. There doesn't seem much point in bringingHernandez on if you are then going to try and snuff the game out. He's not the type of player whose going to hold onto the ball, in a 4-3-3.
So onto Norwich, who will be desperate for a result as they sink down the table, with injuries and now red cards, it will be interesting to see the team selected for that.
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