Color Me Impressed

Well, well, well, listen to the pundits purr about United’s youngsters now when all they too often questioned Sir Alex for relying on too heavily on evergreen twosome for the past two or three campaigns.

After today’s performance, the future couldn’t look brighter, unless Fergie finds his own personal fountain of youth to roll back father time.

Scratch that, I think SAF has found his own age-defying elixir: the task of reshaping this United squad for infinity and beyond.

How cool and confident did Fergie look on the sidelines today – completely at ease watching his new fledglings demonstrate their class right before our eyes.

We all know that United’s youth, at some point, will cost the Red Devils in a tight match somewhere, somehow this season.

But, you’d be hard pressed to find any knowledgeable football fan today without some bit of astonishment at the relentless excellence on display.

In the words of the wonderful Replacement’s song: Color Me Impressed.

What if someone told you last June that United would start Cleverly, De Gea, Evans, Jones, Smalling, and Welbeck at home to Spurs. What score would you have predicted?

Despite Spurs’ dreadful record versus United, especially at Old Trafford, you’d be tempted to think that every dog has it’s day and maybe ‘Arry’s men could scratch out a point away, or perhaps even a victory.

Not a chance. Old United gives way to New United, thank you very much.

Oh, to have been at Old Trafford when Phil Jones, my MOTM, nearly went full field on a marauding run with the ball – you could hear 75,000+ simultaneously gasp and buzz with delight. If my memory serves me correctly, the lad didn’t put a foot in wrong against an extremely gifted Spurs side.

Oh, to have been at Old Trafford when De Gea picked up his first clean sheet, including a drag-back with van der Vaart closing in and fouling the lad. Confidence? Certainly. Stupidity? Absolutely. It’s all part of the learning curve for the youngster.

Oh, to have been at Old Trafford when Anderson and Welback picked open the Spurs defense to see Ander-son-son-son score and break out into the electric boogie, Crouchie-style. Brilliant, that is.

But, alas, today’s match was brought to yours truly via TiVo, after work on a beautiful evening in Minneapolis where I sat inside after undergoing the usual media blackout in the afternoon.

As a Red Devil, we’ve come to expect greatness, thanks to Sir Alex Ferguson.

Like you, I’ve been caught up in United’s wonderful diversion from the rest of the world’s cares, one where it never ceases to amaze these many-odd years on how the Red’s relentless success still finds ways to surprise and delight you, much like Mr. Jones’ foray up field earlier this evening or Welbeck’s clever back-heeled pass.

Besides, name another club that can net a £40m sponsorship for their domestic training kit? Yes, training kit, a remarkable bit of business.

Thus, the kids and the global brand will be all right indeed.

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Back at you after the Arsenal match. Cheers.