Erm, Lucas, Poulsen AND Spearing, Kenny? There’s bulletpoint number one for you.
For every Istanbul there has to be a Deportivo 0-0 game and for every Alaves game a Rapid Bucharest home game (if you can’t remember it you’re lucky). Judging by that criteria the final in Dublin is going to be 9-9 at half time. As great as the United game was the problems with the squad didn’t just appear to Kenny, they practically mugged him. We’ve had one away goal since the qualifiers and that was from a man who can’t get near the second string at the moment. We’re playing a catenaccio system but with extra defenders. Poor Dirk was so isolated at times that he was learning Portuguese at half time just so someone would talk to him.
Of course, this is just how we used to do it. Take a 0-0 away, maybe even a sneaky 1-0 and then set about them at Anfield. Twelve months ago we lost 1-0 to Lille and won 3-0 at Anfield. That side included the karma twins, Torres and Mascherano, while we’ll be without Gerrard (in all probability), Suarez and Joe Cole. Well, Joe will be on the pitch but…
So how can one team beat United and lose to Braga? Personnel? Well, we dropped Maxi (not that great against United), had Gerrard injured and Suarez was illegible. Is Luis the Second really that significant? Clearly. That said, three defensive midfielders and a very slow striker up front with Meirieles in his Hodgson position and Cole on the left doesn’t exactly strike fear into enemy hearts. We’ve still got ninety minutes left so let’s not be too downbeat but it does make me wonder if Braga was the norm and United (and Chelsea) the exception. Whatever happens, people will have to go in the summer as it’s not just the first team that needs improving.
For all the negativity from yesterday there’s always the reminder of what we CAN do when we need to. Sunday was glorious from the moment the words ‘Smalling’ and ‘Scholes’ appeared on the team sheet. The Munsters are an odd bunch. Just give anyone a shirt and expect miracles. Smalling was torn to pieces by Suarez and even Johnson. Scholes, a magnificent player in his time, didn’t want anyone near him and you don’t get time in these games. The shirt isn’t always enough.
If this is United’s worst team in years they still win games on reputation and indefatigability (Blackpool away etc). We don’t have that just yet and it’s interesting to note that our most significant season in recent years was based on late comebacks and a strong spine. We won on Sunday thanks to effort, good tactics (Berbatov seldom enjoys a good quarter of an hour after a bad one so keep him quiet) and getting in their faces. If you sit back, as we did for years at Old Trafford, your only hope is to put some money on the Correct Score. Liverpool turned up on Sunday. That was the difference.
You couldn’t deny the commitment, even if it did go over the top on occasion. Carragher should have been given a red card and would have had Nani not taken a goose-steppingt tour of the touchline before collapsing like Rudolph Valentino on a divan. Rafael too should have gone but got away with it for the second game on the trot but Dowd was never going to risk his career on that. As nasty as it was it was telling how the representatives of both clubs handled the Carragher aftermath. Jamie later tried to apologise to Nani, United wouldn’t let him.
Ferguson too has had enough with shocking refereeing and anti-United media bias. More
power to him if it means we’re spared Mike Phelan talking into his shoulder on Match of the Day. We don’t need to hear Ferguson’s views, we know them already. I’ll settle for ‘Carragher should have been sent off, as should Maxi ‘The Iron Man’ Rodriguez, Suarez was offside, it was never a free kick on Kuyt and David Luis should be deported.’ Write that up. Cheque please. Are the media turning on their God? If even Daniel Taylor is starting to suspect the Emperor is naked then that may well be the case. Ferguson is a man who demands respect at all times but knows little of its meaning. As Tony Soprano said ‘those who want respect, give respect’. There’s not enough server space to give examples of Ferguson’s petulance and arrogance so I’ll just ask this. Why would any manager raise an eyebrow to an incoming Liverpool manager, a legend at that, and coyly mutter ‘Well, that’s up to them I suppose’. I hope that interview crossed Kenny’s mind when he shook his hand on Sunday. That’s if he was allowed to. Kenny’s daughter’s in the media after all.
Sunderland next and it is my sad duty to make a confession. Last year I was in striking distance of that beach ball. Before the match I could have plucked it from the sky and ripped it to pieces. Instead I just frowned (I don’t like to see people enjoying themselves at football matches) and got on to wondering who designed our gold shorts. Sorry Rafa.
Kenny will probably give Carroll a start to anger the natives and no doubt there’ll be plenty of beach balls from their end. I wonder if Steve Bruce/Bernard Cribbins will refuse to talk to the media if we win. Jesus, I hope so.