After Shaun Derry goes off in the 13th minute and Rooney converts the penalty, bookies readjust their in-game odds for the final score. A real hammering seems likely.
However, 20 minutes into second half, the Red Devils remain ahead by a nervy 1-0 score line.
Anything can happen only up by a goal, we all know, as refereeing karma seems destined to go against United soon, given the Carrick’s challenge against Murphy and the off-side, red-card foul given today.
And guess who unlocks the defense?
He scores goals indeed. A siege squandered becomes a comfortable 2-0 victory in the end.
How often in the past three years have the evergreen twosome provided United’s get-out-of-jail-free card?
Quite often, thank you very much, which speaks volumes about the players and Sir Alex Ferguson, who had the foresight to keep both players around as long as possible.
Moving away from the obvious praise for United’s possession and ultimate outcome, for me, the talking points are twofold: a predictable attack and horrible officiating.
United’s attach hath become too one-dimensional these past few games. Certainly, you want to involve Valencia as much as possible, but now opponent’s double- and occasionally triple-team Antonio much more effectively.
Both relegation strugglers demonstrated that for large stretches inferior teams can sit back and defend against United, even against very gaudy 75/25 possession, while hoping for the draw or a smash-and-grab job.
The Reds need to mix it up, for the love of God, and play early balls to forwards making runs off center halves’ shoulders, occasionally try to beat their man straight up, and take more shots from distance, if that’s what’s given.
Yes, use width by all means, but don’t ONLY use width and don’t ONLY go right.
United are almost in danger of standing around and waiting for Valencia to do something spectacular, much like the criticism during the Ronaldo.
The Red’s lateral passing outside and around the edge nullified the extra player advantage. QPR simply kept everyone in front of them and marked-up. The compact tortoise-shell defense worked brilliantly much of the afternoon, much to Red Devil angst.
Did you notice that as soon as Giggs came on – bless his heart – he starting hitting direct balls over the top to Welbeck to mix things up? It’s typically-brilliant Giggsy, as he provides a what’s missing straight away from the bench.
Lately, United seemed to emulate Arsenal’s fatal flaw, over-relying on passing the ball into the net, as cries of “Shoot!” echoed from the Stretford End too many times to count. Finally, Scholes obliged and the Old Trafford faithful head home with three points.
What would have happened if the linesman hadn’t fallen asleep or if Lee Mason kept his red card in his pocket?
We’ll never know.
The old adage that players win games, managers loose them, and referees ruin them certainly held today. Lee Mason killed this match on top of dreadful decisions at Stamford Bridge yesterday.
Predictably, all attention will fall upon a linesman and referee for the second day running for horrible mistakes. It’s a pity because Sir Alex’s men deserve praise, not derisive comments about poor calls at Old Trafford.
THE talking point should be how United have gone eight points clear after winning their eighth straight game in just over a month. Remarkable stuff from arguably the best-managed team in football this past quarter-century. We’re all blessed to follow United.
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