The Devil In Me

I honestly believe that a little bit too much has been made of the importance of a flawless start in pre-season.  There is just far too much quality in the league, even if you only look ata the managers, for it to be a race to perfection this season.  Points will be dropped everywhere and games will be hard.  I think 75 points will take the title this year.  That said, only getting two from your first two games and then facing a Manchester derby next ain’t great. I never feel confident playing against Redknapp’s teams, I’ve always thought he is a wily old bugger that we should be extra wary of.  His half-time substitutions and the second half turn around did little to alter my opinion.We have played some lovely stuff in both games but I was beginning to worry where our steel was with no Rooney no Neville and no Hargreaves.  Well there is nothing like a full team brawl to allay any fears you have about your team’s fighting spirit.  Now it is no Ronaldo too.On the plus side Nani looks very useful indeed.  Over the next few weeks he will need to be.

I suppose I should really know better but after Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool had all scraped jammy late wins I thought the stage was set for us to stamp a little bit of authority on the opening weekend.

My first sense that things might not go that way came when our much heralded snap, crackle and pop squad produced a first eleven containing two left-backs and a bench warmed by the snarling attacking talents of Darren Fletcher and John O’shea.  True enough there was nobody in the box to meet our first meaningful cross on seven minutes and things did look a tad route one ish with balls flying predominately from the midfield area of the wings into the area.

That said, for most of the match I did think that we would break through for three very good reasons.  Firstly, although Reading do a have a go when they move forwards they tend to hack it around a bit at the back.  Secondly, as usual, Ronaldo was doing things that with the ball that suggest he may well come from an entirely different planet.  And thirdly because I am an optimist, after a couple of decades of following this team I should know better.

We didn’t give up, but a hopeful long shot from Carrick and inch perfect pass from Ronaldo to their goalie suggested that it might be about to become one of those days.  Rooney’s touch was incredible at times and we continued to try some really nice stuff but we just seemed to lack fluency in front of goal.

My half-time finger crossing was to no avail and Rooney did not reappear after the break.  For the first twenty minutes of the second half it was all United but they just couldn’t get through, Reading’s central three at the back formed a window to stop the chances we rained on them and Duberry in particular played extremely well.

Nobody can be blamed for Rooney’s latest hoof break and cope without him we will have to.  Nani certainly looks no mug and I was heartened by the sight of Vidic pushing over one of their full-backs who had the temerity to stand near him whilst a corner was being lined up.  But again, United are going to be doing things the hard way.  At least that will be familiar.

It is a meaningless game but I think that the fans, as well as Sky Sports, are entitled to take out of it what we can. It does us no harm to see how we are faring against Chelsea from the off and it means we now at least have one decent pre-season game behind us.

After 10 minutes Basil Van Der Sar was fumbling a Chelsea corner and I feared the worst. At least it had opened as a more interesting game than the cup final so I kept the cyanide tablets in my pocket. The only real annoyance was the stupid wine cooler that is still on Cech’s head, why is he still wearing it? Maybe he is just sick of the sound of Ashley Cole’s voice, who can blame him?

Chelsea started to make the more aggressive opening moves and I found myself thanking the lord than Drogba wasn’t playing, particularly after Sylvester’s best Gazza impression and Evra’s effort at being the new Rivelino looked like our best chances.

Then of course we scored a goal of quality. Evra back from the by-line and Giggs puts it away first time, dare I say it classic United. Two good forward moves from Evra in five minutes and suddenly I am beginning to understand why Gaby Heinze has lost his mind.

Ferdinand can play a pass out of defence with the best of them but Bill Beaumont he is not, something he proved emphatically when bouncing of Malouda to gift Chelsea their equaliser at half time. He should probably have been sent off for trying that tackle but we were made to look muppets at the back anyway, annoying. To really send us into the dressing room in a good mood Rooney gets a nothing booking at the whistle which can only be down to Cech’s stupid hat, that’s probably why he wears it.

Vidic and O’Shea came out of the tunnel in deep conversation for the 2nd half looking like they’d probably just had an earful and we go straight at Chelsea from the off with them only just surviving three shots on goal in a minute. Shortly after C. Ronaldo played the backheel that made the price of the admission ticket worthwhile Vidic pulls up and I fear for his hamstring. He soldiers on and looks okay, proving my paranoia to be unfounded before Nani comes on and has to change his boots within ten minutes of gracing the field, impressive.

Just as both teams seem to be playing good stuff Fergie brings on Fletcher for Giggs (now why didn’t I think of that) and Chelsea take off Joe Cole at about the 80-minute mark. Penalties it is then.

Rooney makes one last probing search for the barn door behind Chelsea’s goal and the referee blows the whistle. Our boys, even surprisingly Rio and Carrick, can kick okay and VDS spectacularly saves three, he’s alright by me. TheChelsea ‘fans’ predictably start leaving the stadium before the matter is settled.

Well it’s score one to us I guess, let’s pray the defenders don’t get injured. It was though, a meaningless game.