Sunday, March 30, 2014

Manchester United 4-1 Aston Villa

You can't help feeling that Saturday will turn out to be the almost obligatory good result against poor opposition before humiliation at the hands of the the next top class opponent we face, this time, Bayern Munich. Mind you it was a win at Old trafford this time, so I suppose it's thanks for ssmall mercies, entertainment has been thin on the ground at home this season.
It ended up a bit of a stroll in the park, but it didn't look that way for the first twenty minutes of limp nothing football, that barely saw us approach the Villa penalty area, never mind actually get an effort at goal away.
What on Earth does Moyes say to them ahead of a game. After the thumpings from Liverpool and then City, you would have hoped to see United set off like a house on fire. Even if you don't break through, you have shown some intent, to your fans as much as the opposition. Yet it was yet another lacklustre showing, plenty of aimless long balls, with hardly a thing going through the middle of the park. And then, as per, this season, the opposition take the lead. It actually took that to get the team to get going.
I'm not much of a fan of Buttner, but he did make a difference on Saturday, it was his overlap that allowed Kagawa the freedom to cut inside to find Rooney with a superb cross, that Rooney could hardly miss with. It was one of our Japanese internationals best games of the season, starting on the left but with freedom to roam inside, he was probably our best player whilst he was on the pitch. It was his pass to put Mata clear that led to the penalty, and it was a beauty. I actually thought Mata should have done better before he was brought down. He had the perfect angle to hit it across the goalie, his lack of confidence in front of goal for Chelsea and now United this season perhaps? The penalty came at a great time, as the game was still in the balance, Villa never really threatened to get back into the game after Rooney slotted home the spot kick.
The second half was a pretty comfortable affair once Mata finally broke his duck to make it 3-1, I thought he was going to make a mess of that as well at first. Januzaj came on for Kagawa and reminded us of what he has to offer, beating men and hittting a fine cross to set up Hernandez for the fourth. I was surprised it was Kagawa that went off, the optimist in me hopes it was because he's going to start tomorrow. I just can't see Moyes starting with him though, though saing that I really have no idea of what eleven we'll start with tomorrow. To be honest I'm just crossing my fingers that we don't have our trousers taken down for the whole of the footballing world to see tomorrow night, we all know if they're on their game and in the mood, tomorrow could be one very ugly night.

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