IT may be me out here on this limb by myself but I think that winning the Premier League title, should we do so, may lose some of its gloss if we limp over the line like a pathetically wounded gazelle instead of striding away like a magnificent stallion. Some may be happy just to win, but it looks like we’re dragging ourselves across the finish line. Believe me, I waited to write about this, I waited through an epically painful International Week and one or two games either side to see if the team proved me wrong and I’m sure you can guess where I am going with this; they didn’t. Two nil up against Chelsea and the collective foot comes off the gas, worst still; we’ve not been cutting edge since those goals went in.
Take a look back at what has happened since then; Rafael reverted to that panicky performance again and Benitez took a visit to the Eden Project and Hazard took advantage. Look at the equalising goal, we had the ball and we were attacking with Valencia, David Luiz cuts out Rooney’s pass effort, Ba turns and it’s advantage Chelsea – Evra’s not arsed, Ramirez is open and despite Evans being all heroic it’s a bit late and they are back in a game they should have been nowhere near. David de Gea was the only thing standing between us and being knocked out there and then, maybe some out there would wish we had been too, given the congestion the replay caused.
We should have finished Chelsea at ours, it looked like the beginnings of a simian stroll but it wasn’t and we need it back soon.
There was really nothing to learn from the game against Reading, but if we must take something from it, have my belief that United have played against blue and white hoops far more than is healthy this season. The other thing we learned is that Robin Van Persie was knackered before the International Week thing. I’m not going to go on about England too much, except that I noticed in the build Patrick Barclay said…
“Unfortunately for the FA, United have a manager who doesn’t give a fig about England, but Sir Alex has or is responsible for a number of the England team. They (the FA) know they have to dance around him.”
You are welcome, Woy. I won’t even mention how yet again one of our lads gets vilified and one gets injured. It’s like David Beckham and Neil Webb issues all over again with them.
With the exception of the City game, United’s League form hasn’t been suffering results wise but it’s hardly been amazing. A Wayne Rooney goal decided the game against Reading, who saw fit to get rid of their manager a few days before playing us and then Sunderland who’s board made Reading’s managerial chop look snail like by dispensing with their manager hours after playing us; they were defeated by a deflection. Sunderland were diabolical, it should have been more.
It has been, according to Patrick Barclay ‘the worst Championship race I can remember’, and Martin Samuel has called it the ‘a very poor defence of the title’ but City still came to Old Trafford and won didn’t they. Yes we can say it’s still a massive gap, it’s unlikely to change the destination of the trophy but the fact is that defeat has been a long time coming. One goal wins and deflections will win you the league as much as classy displays will, remember all those that King Eric scored for us, but going into the last few games it would be nice to see the class back.
They said that, with the Chelsea result, United’s season was essentially over because of the seeming inevitability of the title race, but Holy mother of God and all her wacky Nephews, let’s do it this time shall we? Maybe it’s not since Chelsea (it is but…) maybe we still haven’t recovered from Madrid; maybe they ripped our heart out and broke it and we’re playing like love sick puppies pining over the lost treasure of the European Cup.
Whatever the reason, Chelsea, Madrid, exhaustion, complacency, I’m sick to the back teeth of the positive messages coming out of Old Trafford. ‘We’re combating tiredness’, Really? ‘We’re up for the derby’ but they weren’t and I know the war is more important but some battles really hurt us last season and it would have been nice to stick one over that lot.
‘United boss claims title isn’t won yet’ someone should bloody well tell that lot in red. We’re taking it away, let’s wrench it not rent it. If it’s United’s, they should play like they believe it.
GTS
Given to Score 