This is no fairy tale non-league side here in Crawley Town, as they’re richer than most clubs in League One and League Two, without much strong support – about 2,000 per match.
However, that didn’t stop 7,000 bandwagon-jumpers from joining the Crawley supporters having a big day out at Old Trafford. And why not?
It’s a big club and ground in the FA Cup’s 5th round.
How strange, really, the juxtaposition of the match, as it’s absolutely huge for Crawley, while United got a run-out for second-string and fringe players between the Manchester derby and Champions League knockout round.
It was an opportunity to impress for Bebe, Brown, Chicharito, Fabio, Lindegaard, Gibson, and Obertan.
Outside a flicker from Chicharito, Fabio and Gibson, consider the opportunity wasted for fringe players, especially in the second half where Crawley Town were the better side.
Here are seven quick observations from the match.
1. The cumulative Carling and FA Cup runs thus far show that United do not have depth in quality, especially in the midfield, where the tempo was poor and possession conceded much, much too cheaply. We now have a string of poor performances from this group; it’s officially a trend, not a one-off aberration.
2. Gibson had a few excellent crosses, yet he still doesn’t seem to cover enough ground in the center of the park within a formation that employs two central midfielders. Gibson is a liability at this point, which became clear against a non-league side that he should boss around.
3. Bebe continues to disappoint, with his play matching his body language: poor. The lad’s got physical presence and good pace, yet he looks like someone with pub league traits – poor first touch, wild crosses, and ill-timed decisions. Hard to envision he cost around the same amount as Chicharito. At best, you can say he’s talented and very, very raw. Closed-circuit to the training staff: make Bebe juggle the ball until he can keep it in the air without dropping for 200+ touches before he can even practice with the squad.
4. On one hand, Fabio looked sharp at times going forward in the first half and it’s always nice to see the twins on the pitch simultaneously.
5. On the other hand, both twins left the pitch with injuries and are a cause for concern, both in the short- and long-term. You wonder with their all-out style and body composition if they can handle the rigors of an EPL season. Only time will tell.
6. Putting Rooney on made no difference whatsoever in this match, outside of an initial five-minute spell. Soon the casual and sloppy play infected Wazza as well, with a yellow card coming from a petulant tackle immediately after a foul throw from United’s number ten.
7. Despite everything, United move on in the FA Cup. Results matter more than style, as a Double or Treble still remains a possibility for the Red Devils.
Today United sleepwalked through a non-league side, which won’t be an option in the next round.
Full credit to a spirited Crawley Town.
You leave Old Trafford with your head held high and your bank account one million pounds richer, a well-deserved payday for your impressive FA Cup. Cheers to you.
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Back at you well after the midweek Champions League encounter with Marseille on Wednesday.
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