How can such a good performance get wasted so easily, so quickly?
Easy: indecisive play defending corners and ball watching on a punt downfield in the final minutes of the match.
How many times have we witnessed United defenders switch off on the most basic elements of defending?
Way, way too many times this term, that’s for sure.
Before kickoff, you could almost excuse the Red Devils for not getting a result at Anfield, with the mounting injury problems and the aging midfield. No Anderson, Cleverley, Rooney, Jones, Nani, and the list mounts. You’d worry about United’s aging midfield being able to cover enough ground on this day.
Yet, the midfield of Carrick, Giggs, and Scholes were brilliant – they bossed large portions of the match, one where United deserved a result. Scholesy in particular was marvelous, dictating possession like a master conductor.
And the effort was wasted once again.
What is it about cup competitions with this squad and defending?
So many questions and so few the answers right now.
There will be much talk about De Gea’s performance in goal, with Sir Alex placing the Spaniard between the pipes on the ground where he had arguably his best performance earlier in the season.
But, the gamble backfired, and if anything, brought back more questions about his confidence. United’s keeper didn’t loose the match, but his play unsettled the backline and rewarded Liverpool’s aerial assaults.
You really didn’t see Pool scoring from anything outside a set piece or an obvious gift, such as the pen-ultimate goal. Sir Alex has a full-blown keeper controversy on his hands now, with the relative assurance of Lindegaard and deer-in-the-headlights De Gea.
Quickly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight the wonderful performances today. Sure, Giggs and Carrick played well, but United’s best three players were Park, Valencia, and Scholes.
Valencia’s play is old news, as his prototypical wing play caused its usual menace in this match. Liverpool had no answer for him, at least during the first half. He’s been United’s Man of the Month thus far.
Scholes was absolutely magnificent, as he made United look like Barcelona in possession during this match. So cool and assured, United’s new number twenty-two – it highlights exactly what the Reds have missed in central midfield this term. (I still argue that United are 1-2 world class, central midfielders away from being exactly returning to dominate form.)
Today’s improvised line-up demonstrates precisely what’s possible with a maestro dictating tempo and a gaudy 57% possession stat the result.
And finally, we return our attention to Park, who netted United’s only goal.
Sir Alex asks his number thirteen to play so many roles and he does so with great energy, versatility, and drive. It’s no accident that Park scores on the biggest of stages, as he’s upped his play to match his manager’s belief.
At times, he can be frustrating when he gets outmuscled off the ball, but that’s a fine price to play for his ubiquitous presence on the pitch. The lad’s ability to pop-up in the box unmarked while tracking loads of land defending deserves special merit. He was simply brilliant today, as Fergie asked him to play a vital role in United’s attack and he did so with his usual energy and aplomb.
The only positive – and a stretch at that – is that United have fewer fixtures on the docket now to allow the injured time to heal and get match fit for the rest of the campaign.
It was a big ask of the current squad to knock off City and Pool away in successive fixtures in the FA Cup.
It’s all the more tragic because Ferguson’s men played well enough to pull of this improbable double, only to leave Anfield ruing a wasted this effort.
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Back at you after the Stoke match. Cheers.
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