Another iffy performance, but three vital points in the chase for that oh so important champions league spot. It was also the first time that the grumbling about the manager and the playing tactics were given vent inside the stadium, needless to say they chose the wrong time to give vent and gave vent in the most unhelpful manner possible. I might grumble and I do indeed have a lot of problems with the manager and the style of play, but I never boo and don't want to hear it at Old Trafford. I fear though, that with the new breed of fan that we'd probably start to get used to it.
As to the game, once more we started slowly, in fact during the first ten minutes or so, there was only one team that looked like scoring and they weren't playing in red. As for United loads of possession to absolutely no effect. To be fair to the boo merchants, it was only once the boos started that the players tried to lift up a gear. That was mainly down to Ashley Young who had a tremendous first half, if a couple more players had reached his intensity, I doubt we'd have gone into the half time break scoreless.
On the negative side, Di Maria had a horror half, he has absolutely gone, he couldn't do a thing right. But one thing I'll give him he always makes himself available, he doesn't hide. I'm not going to accuse Falcao of hiding, but he was as useless in a different way. It was almost like playing with ten men, he made no runs, hardly got involved in any build up play and when he did, it was too deep and the ball was taken from him too easily. I couldn't help laugh when the fans all around made the displeasure known when he was subbed after winning the penalty. That was his one and only contribution to the whole afternoon, he was lucky he was still on the pitch to win it. Fair enough replacing him with Fellaini, not Young was nonsensical, but replacing him was fair enough to these eyes.
Back to that substitution, the mind boggles that Van Gaal didn't change his mind once Rooney converted the penalty. We go a goal up, they go down to ten men and he brings Fellaini on, just when you know you are going to get more room in attack. Even taking Rooney off near the end, leaving us with no centre forward on the pitch, whilst they were down to ten men. Does he care at all about goal difference? I know there's a rare midweek game coming up, but that's the point, it's rare. You've got to hope that Wilson gets a start on Wednesday, I'll be amazed if it happens though.
I mentioned Young in the first half, the other positive from the game was Januzaj's performance. Brought on for the hapless Di Maria at the beginning of the second half, he was much improved, it was if the rest of the season had never happened. That was the Januzaj from last season, not afraid to take his man, not afraid to shoot. And even better for me, we had two wide men, the second half we actually had some entertainment. Saying that, I wasn't sure where the goal was going to come from until that penalty.
Given Arsenal and Liverpool's results yesterday, it was a a vital win, Wednesday will be as vital, as will be the rest of the month. Crunch time beckons!
As to the game, once more we started slowly, in fact during the first ten minutes or so, there was only one team that looked like scoring and they weren't playing in red. As for United loads of possession to absolutely no effect. To be fair to the boo merchants, it was only once the boos started that the players tried to lift up a gear. That was mainly down to Ashley Young who had a tremendous first half, if a couple more players had reached his intensity, I doubt we'd have gone into the half time break scoreless.
On the negative side, Di Maria had a horror half, he has absolutely gone, he couldn't do a thing right. But one thing I'll give him he always makes himself available, he doesn't hide. I'm not going to accuse Falcao of hiding, but he was as useless in a different way. It was almost like playing with ten men, he made no runs, hardly got involved in any build up play and when he did, it was too deep and the ball was taken from him too easily. I couldn't help laugh when the fans all around made the displeasure known when he was subbed after winning the penalty. That was his one and only contribution to the whole afternoon, he was lucky he was still on the pitch to win it. Fair enough replacing him with Fellaini, not Young was nonsensical, but replacing him was fair enough to these eyes.
Back to that substitution, the mind boggles that Van Gaal didn't change his mind once Rooney converted the penalty. We go a goal up, they go down to ten men and he brings Fellaini on, just when you know you are going to get more room in attack. Even taking Rooney off near the end, leaving us with no centre forward on the pitch, whilst they were down to ten men. Does he care at all about goal difference? I know there's a rare midweek game coming up, but that's the point, it's rare. You've got to hope that Wilson gets a start on Wednesday, I'll be amazed if it happens though.
I mentioned Young in the first half, the other positive from the game was Januzaj's performance. Brought on for the hapless Di Maria at the beginning of the second half, he was much improved, it was if the rest of the season had never happened. That was the Januzaj from last season, not afraid to take his man, not afraid to shoot. And even better for me, we had two wide men, the second half we actually had some entertainment. Saying that, I wasn't sure where the goal was going to come from until that penalty.
Given Arsenal and Liverpool's results yesterday, it was a a vital win, Wednesday will be as vital, as will be the rest of the month. Crunch time beckons!
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