All Geordies should run to the local corner store and play the lottery immediately. Oh wait, on second thought, they’ve already maxed out their luck today. Never mind.
Of course, the initial reactions will focus on the linesman’s gift penalty from a textbook-perfect tackle, poor finishing, and game-of-the-season keeping from the Krul Dutchman.
A closer look, however, reveals something else entirely.
Yes, I agree, Sir Alex, that the match’s outcome was a travesty. However, during the previous run of successive one-nil victories, United rode lady luck both in poor finishing, wasteful possession, and the odd defensive lapse.
Midweek and today we’ve witnessed the extreme cost for being profligate.
Against Benfica, the Reds gifted the Portuguese side an own-goal along with a horrible clearance from De Gea, right after you felt the lad had turned a corner with this type of game-changing error. Either time, had the player simply held his mettle, the pressure at Old Trafford dissipates measurably.
Today, we find the linesman in a giving mood to the barcodes, who hardly deserved a point in the second half, albeit Newcastle did attack when the opportunity presented itself in the first half and for that reason you give them a modicum of credit.
But United blew countless chances, only to score the lone goal from a crazy deflected clearance off Chicharito’s backside. Clinical finishing hath become elusive, as United do not sustain concentration long enough to put inferior sides away by two-plus goals, with something like 10 goals in the last 8 or 9 matches.
That’s simply not good enough. And Fergie knows it.
The inevitable pressure does come, but the lack of end-product leads to bad habits, including players pressing, standing over the ball too long, or trying difficult-if-not impossible balls way too often.
Players seem to lack belief the goals will come. Frustration begets more aggravation in this cycle, such as Nani dribbling through the entire defense only to over-hit his shot or cross, take you pick. Brilliance suddenly leads to a building collective annoyance.
United play best when up-tempo balls to space force defenses to keep up with rapid-fire decision-making, as pace and movement lead to the gaps the Reds exploit, often with tap-ins from lovely passing. Everybody knows this.
Yet, the Red Devils seem to have lost control over this gear, at times, which isn’t characteristic of a Sir Alex Ferguson side. Form and function become elusive at the most inopportune of moments for about nine game running now.
Thus, we find the season on edge, with United needing a result at Basel to advance from an easy Champions League group and the possibility of falling seven points behind City by tomorrow evening.
Sure, United feel rightfully aggrieved to have conceded an unjust penalty, but such a turn hath been brewing for a while. Just add up the number of minutes with a narrow one-goal lead, which is way too long to avoid lady luck’s pendulum swinging the wrong direction. Thus, we find Sir Alex’s tirade to deflect attention from profligacy in front of goal.
United need to rekindle their ruthlessness right quick, otherwise, prospects in Europe and England could evaporate all too quickly. And luck would have absolutely nothing to do with it.
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Back at you after the Villa match. Cheers.
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