Once I heard the team, I couldn't wait for the game, this was the kind of thing I have been waiting for all season. I had actually given up on seeing James Wilson getting a start this season, he seems to have been carrying some kind of injury, or so I thought. For the last few games whatever the position of the match, he seems to have brought off early in the second half. And with an under 21 final to come at Old trafford on Wednesday next week, I thought he would have been saved for that. I'm glad I was wrong. Without playing anywhere near as well as he can, he still managed to bag two goals, showing that he's just a natural in front of goal. On the negative side we saw that he still has work to do in his work outside the box, hopefully that will come, if it does, what a player we have on our hands.
The big surprise was the inclusion of Tom Lawrence. I have to admit that he has not been on my radar at all. I have seen him play for the youth team and for the under 21's and whilst he did seem to have talent, he was one of those players, where you couldn't really see what their position was. But I had read that he had done very well on loan, scoring an outrageous solo goal at Carlisle, albeit at a much lower level than the premier league. That changed a touch when I saw his performance at Liverpool during the under 21 semi final last week, all of a sudden he looked first team material.
On the night I thought had a reasonably assured debut, for the most part, nice and tidy in possession, but showing occasional glimpses of a special talent. He could have capped a special night with a glorious goal with a great shot in the first half, but the keeper made a fine save. A right footer on the left hand side, he wanted to cut in most of the time, which is the fashion, but if he is to really make the grade, he'll have to learn to go down the outside from time to time.
Of course we don't really think of Januzaj, as a novice anymore, but he is only 19 still. But as the game wore on, especially in the second half, he showed what a really special talent he is and how criminally underused he had been during the latter part of the season under David Moyes.
As for the actual game, it was a pretty mundane first half as United tried to break down a packed defence with a pretty inexperienced attack and once more an underwhelming central midfield. But right from the off in the second half, United really showed a lot more urgency, and in the latter stages got their game together, especially when a rejuvenated Van Perise came onto the pitch.
Kagawa got a bit of stick for his performance for his performance around my part of the ground. But I thought he did alright, unlike Carrick who, once again, had a very sub par performance, or maybe that should be a par performance for this season. As for Fellaini, what's left to say, I suppose Giggs was giving everybody a chance, and he played to Fellaini's strength's, even if that wasn't exactly to the strength of United's overall performance, playing him further up the pitch. Still we got a few glances of that much spoken about chest control, wow.
The injury a pity for Jones, but boy, is he injury prone, he really has to get over this, if he is ever to realise the potential Fergie saw in him. I've been pretty critical of Smalling this season, but he was noticeably improved against Hull City, obviously the opposition wasn't that strong, still he sniffed out what little danger there was on the night.
Last word goes to Giggs, the difference he made to the quality of a midfield when he came on in the second half, was no surprise. I have often wondered whether when he looks back on his career, whenever that may be, whether he would regret the fact he didn't play the majority of his career more centrally. The speech at the end was word perfect, hitting all this Manchester United fans G-spots, giving youth a chance, playing attractive football, god knows what Moyes would have said, it was almost as if Giggs was trying to say something.
The big surprise was the inclusion of Tom Lawrence. I have to admit that he has not been on my radar at all. I have seen him play for the youth team and for the under 21's and whilst he did seem to have talent, he was one of those players, where you couldn't really see what their position was. But I had read that he had done very well on loan, scoring an outrageous solo goal at Carlisle, albeit at a much lower level than the premier league. That changed a touch when I saw his performance at Liverpool during the under 21 semi final last week, all of a sudden he looked first team material.
On the night I thought had a reasonably assured debut, for the most part, nice and tidy in possession, but showing occasional glimpses of a special talent. He could have capped a special night with a glorious goal with a great shot in the first half, but the keeper made a fine save. A right footer on the left hand side, he wanted to cut in most of the time, which is the fashion, but if he is to really make the grade, he'll have to learn to go down the outside from time to time.
Of course we don't really think of Januzaj, as a novice anymore, but he is only 19 still. But as the game wore on, especially in the second half, he showed what a really special talent he is and how criminally underused he had been during the latter part of the season under David Moyes.
As for the actual game, it was a pretty mundane first half as United tried to break down a packed defence with a pretty inexperienced attack and once more an underwhelming central midfield. But right from the off in the second half, United really showed a lot more urgency, and in the latter stages got their game together, especially when a rejuvenated Van Perise came onto the pitch.
Kagawa got a bit of stick for his performance for his performance around my part of the ground. But I thought he did alright, unlike Carrick who, once again, had a very sub par performance, or maybe that should be a par performance for this season. As for Fellaini, what's left to say, I suppose Giggs was giving everybody a chance, and he played to Fellaini's strength's, even if that wasn't exactly to the strength of United's overall performance, playing him further up the pitch. Still we got a few glances of that much spoken about chest control, wow.
The injury a pity for Jones, but boy, is he injury prone, he really has to get over this, if he is ever to realise the potential Fergie saw in him. I've been pretty critical of Smalling this season, but he was noticeably improved against Hull City, obviously the opposition wasn't that strong, still he sniffed out what little danger there was on the night.
Last word goes to Giggs, the difference he made to the quality of a midfield when he came on in the second half, was no surprise. I have often wondered whether when he looks back on his career, whenever that may be, whether he would regret the fact he didn't play the majority of his career more centrally. The speech at the end was word perfect, hitting all this Manchester United fans G-spots, giving youth a chance, playing attractive football, god knows what Moyes would have said, it was almost as if Giggs was trying to say something.
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