The Devil In Me

Perhaps our most noteworthy performer was OShea, perhaps it was Park, it certainly wasn’t the team at large. Rooney’s bite was sorely missed and the remaining front players were solid rather than spectacular. Spurs were unambitious and just wanted to counter attack, despite being at home, but their plan nearly worked. Lennon can definitely run and Bently’s long-range shooting was a menace but it was thankfully a good day at the office for Van Der Sar.

We should have hurt Spurs more after they lost Woodgate but if you have 60% possession, 14 corners and 3246 shots and still don’t score then you can’t really complain. Credit to Gomes for his goalkeeping but it should be noted that we also fielded a ramshackle defence that played well. United looked a lot better after Giggs came on but I think we would have won if Tevez had played the full ninety. 

We played well in the first half, passing around the ball well but you do worry about our finishing some of the time. We have had seventy-three shots in the last three league games for a return of two goals. Sunderland’s full backs played well, all eleven of them, and Villa too were well organised, but we should be scoring more. That said, we will definitely look back on this as an important win and despite the worrying nature of Ronaldo’s exit I feel more confident than I expected to at this stage of the season.

United were less convincing than we have been led to believe. We certainly came out of the blocks fast and Rafael is a delight at the moment but we are still a little edgy at the back. City played as many bobbling high balls into our box as they could and goals could have been conceded on a couple of occasions. It felt great to get a win again in this fixture and we need to go on a run now.

I have no idea what Ronaldo was doing either. We need to get behind him though; he is still our player after all.

It was a cracking game of football but we were horribly profligate. Arsenal played well and took their chances but, significantly, we did not. For all of our pinging approach play there is still a lack of focus in some of the players, they should be up for this kind of game but some seemed to be going through the motions. Neville and VDS are more liabilities than dependable at the moment and we are going through a defensive transition. The great positive was the performance of Rafael, he has certainly earned a starting place in the next game and looks very assured. No complaints and not the end of the world, but not really good enough either.
Footnote:
Apologies for no fan’s view last week. A collective doffing of caps from the United support to Hull. You are a bloody good team, please finish above City.