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.
Just seen the highlights on the beeb, meaningless it might be. But with Edwin van der Brick wall starting with 3 saves in a shot-out against the main competition and the whole team passing through the chelsea defense like a hot knife through butter. it might be meaningless but damn good to watch