Sunday, March 18, 2012

United Waste Wolves 5-0


When Jonny Evans scores his first goal in 119 games, that doesn’t bode well for the opposition, as the football gods must be smiling down upon United. Or, perhaps it was leftover St. Patrick’s Day fortune for the lad. Regardless, it spelt doom for Wolves.

There’s really very little energy over here to blog about this match, such was the comfortable how-hum nature of the proceedings.

Thus, you get the easiest of formats here: the top five reactions to the match.

First off, how incredibly stupid was Ronald Zubar’s tackle on Welbeck?

Daft beyond all recognition, as you put your side down to ten men with over 60 minutes of football against the reigning champions in the midst of a relegation battle. Can you say gaffer’s doghouse?

I get wanting to close down the forward, but if your timing’s off along the touchline, that type of challenge gets booked nine out of ten times, with the winger taken down and acres of space behind the play.

Second, despite the comfortable score line, it seemed like there were more goals to be had by Sir Alex’s men.

Certainly, Thursday’s match and travel took some sharpness off the effort and it’s an excellent result, but Wolves were soooo poor for much of the match. This easily could have been 6, 7, or 8 to the good.

Behind closed doors Fergie might have a sharp word or two with the squad regarding their at-times flippant passing and possession. Goal differential matters and United didn’t take full advantage of a severely wounded side here.

Third, United employed the correct formation today, with Chicharito up top, Rooney in the hole, Welbeck drifting all over the place from the left, and Valencia playing textbook right wing.

Valencia and Chicharito, in their own ways, push defenses and create ample space for Rooney, Welbeck, and Carrick to create havoc. The pressure felt on Wolves’ left flank because Valencia beat Ward repeatedly caused the usual domino effect in mismarking everybody else. Which leads me to the next point.

Fourth, welcome back Antonio Valencia!

Since the New Year, he’s been the Red Devils most consistent catalyst going forward, getting around the edge and supplying excellent service to the front line. His pace and strength creates serious problems for opponent’s left backs, which has defenses paying lop-sided attention to his flank.

His goal was simply superb, as he broke the length of the pitch, gathered Rooney’s ball over the top, and raced to goal with delightful finish one-to-one against the keeper – a brilliant, counter-attacking surge. Valencia’s definitely deserving of everyone’s Man of the Match.

And finally, I reserve my MOTM honors for the man who broke his duck and opened up United’s account off a corner in the 21st minute: Jonny Evans. Today’s award is as much about the body of work in 2012 as his usual, solid effort today.

Evans did his job with his now-usual assuredness, a trait we didn’t think we’d witness after his horrible red card against City. In fact, many advocated selling the player in the January transfer window. Thankfully, Sir Alex knows better.

It takes time and patience to develop good, young center halves, something we’re all too intimately aware of in light of United’s failings in Europe.

Thus, we salute the bit of luck due a certain Northern Irishman, one who has earned our praise and recognition for his effort and improvement this campaign. Jonny, you’ve had as much to do with United’s ascent to the top as anyone in the starting eleven. Cheers to you on your first goal and a job well done.

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Also, our thoughts and prayers go out to Fabrice Muamba, his family, and Bolton Wanderers. Be well son.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Top of the Table to You


The murmuring around Old Trafford provided a strange buzz that required no explanation: City just fell behind late. The predictable singing aimed at the Blues rolled around the ground.

United sit on top, one point over City, with ten games left after United’s 2-0 defeat of West Brom and City’s 1-0 loss at Swansea.

This lead looms large, as Red Devils also possess an easier run-in, with the Middle Eastlands needing to play Chelsea, Arsenal, as well as United. Sir Alex’s side could sit four points clear before the Blues kickoff next weekend, piling pressure on his Italian counterpart.

And it's beginning to show.

Mancini played the role of devastated manager, in a very Wenger-like performance, mystified by the result, unnerved, and seemingly unable to conjure up anything to help his side move forward.

Contrast the City gaffer to Fergie’s focused attention in his post-match comments, including, at no extra charge, free translations from Sir Alex Ferguson’s The Art of War, Premiership Edition:

"The City defeat was a bonus I didn't expect (A horrible blunder; how could you loose THAT game?!) but I am happy to be top (as in you can’t handle it) because only a few weeks ago we were seven points behind them (United’s brilliant ascendency; the Blues’ massive collapse).

"That is credit to the players and the resilience of the squad (against all odds) because as everyone knows, we have had a lot of injuries (If you can’t stay ahead of us when we’re injured, you stand no chance now, as we approach fitness.).''

The media portray Roberto Mancini as a tactician, one who is a bit aloof from his players, which doesn’t bode well for the title run-in.

Teams in City’s position need to reframe the media conversations around the side, with comments like “We’re disappointed with the result today, but there’s still over a quarter of the season to play. It’s a long race that will go to the wire. We accept that. Yet, we play United at home and view that as a major advantage. We like our chances.”

Nothing of the kind will come from this cool Italian. So, if the manager won’t lift City, who will?

Some suggest it could be Carlos Tevez.

THAT man from Argentina doesn’t deserve a second chance, with Carlito’s Way difficult for all to comprehend, as he’s brilliantly determined striker, one capable of carrying a team for a spell.

On the other hand, as we’ve witnessed, he’s unprofessional, petty, and childish to the extreme – a high-risk, high-reward gamble that can turn cancerous. Oh, and what added pressure Tevez’ return could place on Mancini, who once stated he’d never again play for the club.

We all know in life, until you’ve accomplished something, it is human nature to doubt, if only on occasion, until you finally accomplish a penultimate goal as difficult as winning the Premier League.

World-class footballers possess a rare confidence, a sheer force of will it takes to beat incredible odds to reach the pinnacle of the beautiful game. One blog writer smack-dab in the middle of North America is no expert about sports psychology, without question.

Yet, it doesn’t take any education or experience to see what’s transpiring absolutely naked right in front of us, in the gobsmacked expression on Mancini’s fate in Cardiff. Just look at the man.

Roberto will face countless questions about the Blue’s title credentials from now until season’s end, with any missteps, any miscalculated tactics – like playing two holding midfielders and taking off Silva early today, hint-hint – drawing major scrutiny. The questions and pressure take their toll.

Sir Alex will exploit this to no end, assuredly, as that’s the luxury that comes from winning the Premier League twelve times. People don’t doubt United.

We’ve witnessed this film before. We know the story. We love how it ends.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Clinical United Best Spurs and Chelsea Implodes

What must old ‘Arry be thinking now?

Concede eight goals in four halves of football. England. Dominate possession and lose to United yet again. England. What must we do to get a break? England.

You get the picture.

The Tottenham defense looked as distracted as the man most likely to lead Inger-Land into the European Championships. Spurs are in real trouble.

Ah, but must we focus so much attention on the side from North London, when the Red Devils dispatched Spurs with the customary aplomb.

These massive three points were overshadowed by events elsewhere this weekend, with a resurgent Arsenal, Andre Villas-Boas sacked, and a possible return of the Special One to the Premiership.

Thus, here’s a Cliff’s Notes analysis of United’s performance before moving on to the misery at Chelsea.

Solid job all around for United’s back five, especially Jonny Evans, who played flawlessly all afternoon and is a worthy MOTM candidate. Rio was massive as well.

Both Scholes and Giggs looked their age and United’s midfield being outplayed much of this match, while failing to keep possession comfortably until being up 3-0.

De Gea made some excellent saves early on to keep the score line nil-nil.

Rooney looked out-of-form, yet put United into the lead just before half time thanks to a pacy, pernicious corner from Ashley Young, our Man of the Match, who netted two himself, including a Goal of the Week postage stamp to emphatically kill off this match.

Young took up Valencia’s mantle just in time and on his own terms, mostly through his whipped service and ability to drift into pockets of space versus continuing to press the edge like Antonio.

The timing of Young’s excellence couldn’t be better for Sir Alex leading into the two months and change in the season.

Elsewhere in England, much focus is on the downward spiral of Chelsea, as AVB becomes the fifth manager sacked since the departure of the Special One.

And, who didn’t see this one coming million miles away?

When Andre Villas-Boas said he didn’t need the support of the locker room, as long as he had the owner’s backing, everybody knew his days were numbered, which culminated in a club statement that tried fruitlessly to thank the now-former manager:

“Andre Villas-Boas has parted company (kicked out) with Chelsea FC today. The Board would like to record our gratitude (hurl, barf, choke) for his work (crazy, highline football with an old squad) and express our disappointment (cha-ching) that the relationship has ended so early…

“Unfortunately the results and the performances of the team have not been good enough (5th place) and were showing no signs of improving at a key time (lost Champions League) in the season.”

Chelsea age gracelessly much to Red Devil delight.

C’mon, can you ever imagine Terry and Lampard accepting similar roles to those of Giggs or Scholes? (I know, I know – let’s just assume their bodies would hold up.)

Never.

Both players’ massive egos, if anything, appear to inflate over time, which doesn’t match their diminishing pace and production on the pitch.

Which speaks to everything that’s wrong with Stamford Bridge outfit the moment.

Chelsea’s dressing room has a habit of getting managers fired prematurely, as Ferguson hath reminded us on many an occasion, no one player – eh, Beckham – can get bigger than the manager nor the club. Never. All is lost otherwise.

Indeed, another title campaign’s gone, and quite possibly, a Champions League spot may be lost on an expensive, aging side with the advent of financial fair play just around the corner – the precise moment Chelsea can least afford to take a hit to revenue. Oh, the deliciously irony.

As we witness the predictable implosion of a billionaire owner’s plaything, thanks to his own meddling nonetheless, we appreciate newly the meaning of “schadenfreude.”