The National Institute of Mental Health (www.nimh.nih.gov) defines “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,” PTSD, as “an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened.”
Hmmm. Losing three two-goal leads in the first eight matches would qualfiy. Check.
It goes on to define symptoms as people having “frightening thoughts and memories of their ordeal and feel emotionally numb, especially with people they were once close to. They may experience sleep problems, feel detached or numb, or be easily startled.”
Frightened, detached, numb and easily startled. Check again.
Well, the ardent, glass-half-full optimist would completely disagree here, arguing United still haven't lost this campaign. Does that make you honestly feel better?
Hardly – it's the way United draw matches that stings sharply, especially when today started so brightly.
No Rooney in the starting line-up quickly became a non-issue, with Chicharito's 5th-minute goal and United's good overall atttacking form. A 2-0 half-time lead could have been 3-0 or 4-0, as the Premier Leagues “Player of the Month” (Berba) curled one just wide and missed a shocking, side-foot sitter.
Today's stroll in the park instead tried to prove the cliché that 2-0 is “the most dangerous lead in football”, with one unlucky deflection and one world-class howler drawing Albion level.
Lucky once, lucky twice instilled a formidable belief in West Brom, especailly after beating Arsenal away. The neutral observer must have felt Albion were the more likley side to bag the three points on the counter-attack.
The Red Devils expected to finnish with a flourish, as the introduction of Scholes and Rooney would surely lead to a massive push forward. A crazy, pressure packed final quarter-hour awaited.
But, did you notice that Mike Phelan had to scream and dance on the sideline to get United forward? What the hell has happened to this squad? A coach needs to cajole the side forward?!
Today the United players did not respect the tradition and honor of the badge, nor the giant home crowd or their massive wages, with their tentativeness and inconsistent play. There's been ZERO killer instinct yet this year. In fact, much worse, United look the part of the usual victim of their own late-game heroics, as they face their own flashbacks from matches past.
What angers me most is that Sir Alex is baffled by such displays. Albeit an honest answer, but if he doesn't get it, what are the chances of an immediate turnaround?
Ah, but the optimist agrues that United were strong defensively, yet lost a lead under the most improbable of circumstances. You could argue that clubs rarely recover from horrific howlers, as England versus USA match can attest. It's soooo deflating to lose a lead in this manner. Blah-blah-blah.
Sure, it's deflating, but why were United in a position to loose the lead in the first place? It should have been 4-0 before Albion even scored.
The reason for the missing killer instinct is simple, really. You've just got to ask yourself “Who is 'in form' at the moment for United?”
Only Berbatov, Scholes (for 70-minutes per match), Fletcher, Vidic, and now Ferdinand, come to mind, while Anderson, Rooney, Evra, Carrick, Gibson, Giggs, Hargraeves, Nani, Park, Valencia, and now van der Sar, are all either injured or widly inconsistent.
There's your answer: too much variation in the system to be effective.
United need to get in form quickly, otherwise, we face the prospect of losing this title campaign before Boxing Day.
Or, as the strangly-optimistic Carl-the-Groundskeeper from Caddy Shack would remind us...
“Well, at least we're not in court facing the prospect of administration. I guess we got that going for us, which is nice.”
Back at you after my own personal PTSD therapy session. Cheers.
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