He Scores Goals

The central question today was “Where will the cutting-edge come from?” with no Rooney, Giggs, or Owen.

Linking with the central midfielders and pace around the outside would be paramount, as you just couldn’t envision Berba stretching the defense forward. Instead, the fear was he’d drift back too far and United would lack a focal-point.

Consider the fears confirmed after the first half, as the best opportunity fell to the Wolve’s Stephen Ward, who missed an open header from just 6 yards out. United created next to nothing during the first interval.

Tension mounted at halftime, as the tantalizing prospect of going top of the table added frustration to a match with little creativity on either end of the pitch.

And then, up steps Scholes.

Premier League goal number one hundred couldn’t come at a better time, as every onlooker knew that whoever scored would inevitably win this match. Jody Craddock’s mistake was dispatched with the trademark coolness we come to expect from Scholesy and what an enormous goal for United.

Soon afterwards, the away supporters broke into “We will never die” as the result seemed certain with Ferdinand and Vidic partnering for only the fifth time this year.

Credit Wolves for going for going full-tilt for the equalizer, as Mick McCarthy added two additional forwards in an attempt to snatch a point, which nearly paid-off during stoppage time as Volkes’ blatant miss over the top from 6 yards left the Wolves faithful befuddled.

On a different day against stiffer opposition, United could have easily left the ground 2-1 losers after conceding two gilt-edge opportunities from the top of the six-yard box. But it wasn’t to be today, as Wolves relive a Ground Hog Day moment that bares an eerily similar feel to their recent loss to Chelsea.

Looking ahead now to the Champions League clash with AC Milan and the rest of the EPL season, Rooney’s troublesome knee injury must worry Sir Alex, as United currently have no suitable replacement for The Boy Wonder up front, especially with Michael Owen now lost for the campaign and the obvious lack of a focal point when Berbatov operates as a lone, central striker.

Kiko Macheda’s return from injury couldn’t be better timed, as Diouf showed us both his massive potential and raw finishing today by being in position to miss two, mind you, two sitters. United cannot rely solely on a Berbatov-Diouf partnership, at least in the near term.

Ah, but let’s leave all thoughts of a Rooney-less attack behind, as we salute United’s Ginger Prince, a man who’s longevity, guile, and strike-rate surely deserve recognition today as he propels United to the top of the league.

He’s Paul Scholes. He scores goals. One hundred and forty-eight in all competitions and counting.

Here’s to the Ginger Prince putting pen to paper for just one more year. Cheers!