Things We Knew We Knew Before The Galatasaray Game (But That Were Underlined By the Galatasaray Game).
PENALTIES – We couldn’t hit a barn door in a field
Manchester United cannot convert penalty attempts for love nor money at the moment. Giving the latest attempt to Nani was probably ill-advised, we have contacted Manchester United to see if Nani’s selection to take it was the result of Mickey P having a sweepstake on us not converting all season. Manchester United are yet to respond to our e-mail even though we used all capitals.
THE NANI STATE – He’s supposedly trying to get a contract, isn’t he?
Nani should be currently trying to prove his worth to everyone. We at GTS perhaps controversially believe that he is trying to do just that, we have seen flashes of brilliance, quality, a standard of performance that while less than Ronaldo, is more than Kieran Richardson. On the night he tried link up play, which is a step in the right direction for the boy, of course when you play a one two with a team mate, it helps that the team mate is Kagawa. He is a classy player. Oh and, I could have done a better run up to the penalty and I can’t even run!
It’s strange to talk of Nani as showing progress as maybe he needs to be doing more than that but players like Cristiano Ronaldo set the bar very high indeed and if you still think Nani is capable of that kind of performance, it’s perhaps understandable that he limbos under your expectations week in week out. He wont be as good as Ronaldo but when last we checked, a player not being as good as one of the best players on the planet is no reason for a team to get rid.
Certain Manchester United players divide opinion brilliantly and this seemed to be the night that all of them got together and gave noteworthy performances. We’ve mentioned Nani and we won’t again…. that run up though, what the blazes was that all about?
EVRA READY – at one point he was beaten for pace and was sucking wind so much the first few rows of the Stretford End passed out from oxygen deprivation.
Patrice Evra was back in the side, that may seem harsh given what happened when he watched from the sidelines against Wigan but chances are he was always going to be back in for this game. At one point he was beaten for pace and was sucking wind so much the first few rows of the Stretford End passed out from oxygen deprivation, in fairness when he tried a defensive tackle he got there as quickly as he could. This defending lark is new to him. From the resulting free kick no-one thought to pick up Altintop who went close for the Turkish team.
MICHAEL CARRICK – The Geordie Racer gets on his…Byker ooooh
Next up for honourable mention in our divided opinion catergory are your own, your very own, Michael Carrick. The boy did well on Wednesday night, clever with the ball, clever in his goal, charitable in his efforts to keep the Galatasaray ‘keeper on the pitch and the clearest indication if any were needed, that Sir Alex has bollocked Danny Welbeck for going over somewhat easily; none of that this time. We contacted Manchester United in a bid to confirm our suspicion that Carrick had played Crab Football for a Cub Scout Association team, because his kicking ability from a seated position was second to none. Manchester United are yet to comment on this.
Speaking after the game, Carrick made us laugh:
“I don’t get many, so when the chance is there. We’ve missed three penalties now so maybe taking the chance was right.”
DARREN FLETCHER
Last but not least to have divided opinion amongst the reds, Darren Fletcher. At one point some doubted if he was quality enough to be in the Manchester United side, key performances and absences that hurt us have more than ended that and the ovation Darren got when he made his re-appearance after ten months out spoke volumes. No ifs, no buts, quality as standard.
YOU’RE THE ONE FOR ME FATIH
Credit must be given to the Turkish side and their manager Fatih Terim; they made a game of it. United were saved by the woodwork and a bloody good damn good bloody good shot stopper; a double save denying first Aydin Yilmaz and then Emre Colak saved our bacon and when we are looking at the nil part of the score line, they should be remembered. Elsewhere Hamit Altintop had a good game, nearly capitalising on the free kick in the first half and in the second with Galatasaray on the attack and with three United players watching the ball Altintop was allowed to receive the ball on the wing in space and deliver a cross which Selcuk Inan almost headed over David de Gea.
Questions to think about following the Galatasaray game (if you have time before the Liverpool game)
Given Sir Alex’s comments about wanting to be able to pick a settled central defensive pairing and his selection of Evans and Vidic, does this mean that Rio gets a midweek stint on the bench?
Is Anders Lindegaard’s recently stated belief that he is United’s number one ‘and so is David’, true? Is that what Sir Alex believes? David looked confident on Wednesday night but it was European opposition at Anfield on Sunday does Fergie go for him or stick with Anders? The latter does seem to have more confidence but then he would, he’s not yanked out of the team and put on the naughty step the same way David is.
Maybe there is something to this ‘two first choice’ idea. In the past we’ve rested The number one for different games (Schmiechel, Pilkington), then we had the era where we had to say we had no first choice because every single one of the choices dropped clangers at some stage, then we had a clear number one again (Edwin how we miss thee). Maybe this new era is, two first choice, by choice… follow that?
Now that we have said that, look for David de Gea to start in goal for Manchester United on Sunday.
A victory and a clean sheet, defensive cleanliness even given the amount of Galatasaray forward play. It makes the return game a bit of a Turkish Delight… see what we did there?
Now to Liverpool and a quiet game all round, nil nil and nowt to write home about.
In a bit. GTS
Brackets are back. Very rock and roll. Tell your friends.
Given to Score 