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They say that hope
springs eternal in summer, but, in a refreshing change from previous
years, it is United fans who are still holding that hope now, as we head
towards winter.
United started
September at the top of the League, and despite the less than smooth
month since, have managed to reclaim it as we head into October. Indeed,
even at this early stage, we have much to thank Aston Villa for, as if
Chelsea had recaptured the form of previous years we could be looking at
a possible gap opening up already.
September began with
three big home games in a week, with confidence buzzing from the great
start to the new season. Giggs struck to win the first of these in a
nervous clash with Spurs, who could easily have left with a point had
our defensive frailties, so evident from last year, been punished by an
equaliser.
Our first venture into
Europe saw the visit of Celtic and a much tougher task than many had
anticipated. Venegoor of Hesselink’s early goal shocked United into
action, with Saha netting a debatable penalty after Giggs was adjudged
to have been fouled (and injured himself in the process, missing the
next month of games) to level things up. Saha’s movement and workrate,
so impressive since stepping into Van Nistelrooy’s position in the
summer, was causing problems for the Celtic defence, and again it was
the Frenchman who was on the scoresheet when he connected with Scholes’s
lovely through ball to put United back into the lead. Celtic were not
pushovers by any means though, and the pre-match scorelines of 3-0 and
4-0 to the home side hastily bandied about by sections of the media were
again turned on their heads as Celtic drew level themselves.
However, cometh the
hour, cometh the man, as the cliché goes. In United’s case, as on so
many occasions in his decade at the club, that man was Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer, who returned to net his first goal in front of the home fans
in three years and bag all three points in the process. The chances
flowed from here on in, and despite Celtic’s good showing 3-2 was
perhaps a flattering result in the end for Strachan’s side.
So with Ronaldo back
in, and Giggs out, Ferguson was forced to reshuffle his pack once again
before Arsenal arrived in Manchester, themselves missing Thierry Henry.
Yet the growing confidence amongst United fans at this news and the fact
that Arsenal came to Old Trafford without a league win this season was
badly misplaced, much like Ferguson’s decision to field a weak and
uncreative four man midfield against Arsenal’s dominant five.
As Arsenal took control
of this area of the park so early on, and given plenty of space in which
to manoeuvre, it should have come as no surprise that United were
pierced open as early as the tenth minute when Adebayor was released and
brought down by Kuzckak, who redeemed himself superbly to save the
penalty.
With Fletcher
continually cutting inside, and Ronaldo creating what he could under
heavy defensive pressure, Arsenal’s rearguard were rarely tested
severely. Rooney was woefully off form, and deprived of the outlet we
have come to rely on so often, United lacked spark and ideas pushing
forward. There was a growing inevitability about the goal as Arsenal
grew in confidence, but in truth they left Old Trafford with a deserved
win.
However, the
disappointment at United’s lacklustre display was clear to see – was
this the proverbial olive branch handed to Arsenal in this year’s title
race? Sides with serious title credentials simply cannot afford to drop
points at home. The effects of this result may take a while to be fully
felt, but unfortunately I feel it may well have an important (and
negative) bearing on events.
If there was any
hangover from the Arsenal defeat, it quickly manifested itself in
Reading, where only Ronaldo’s moment of brilliance rescued a point as
yet again it took an opposition goal to spring United into action.
Ferguson has to take a share of the blame for playing a clearly off form
Rooney up front on his own, yet it aptly demonstrated the lack of squad
depth that we are suffering at the moment after injuries to Giggs and
Park-Ji Sung (add Mikael Silvestre to that list now too) and indeed the
lack of attacking options available after selling one striker, and
loaning out another, without bringing in a replacement of any sort.
It was much the same
midweek against Benfica, except that Saha’s strike ensured United went
some way towards banishing the memories of last December’s horror show
in the same stadium. Only after Saha’s goal though did we see a more
attacking outlook from United, with a first half display as inept as
anything seen against Arsenal or Reading.
However Newcastle’s
visit, themselves returning from European action midweek, saw a marked
improvement with some of the more fluid attacking football at the fore
as it had been back in August. There were chances galore, with Ronaldo
again at the centre of all things good, and it was Solskjaer who got a
brace to restore United to the domestic summit.
The only one question
now is the obvious one – can United stay there? Making sure that no slip
ups similar to that against Arsenal rear their head again when Liverpool
come to Old Trafford is vital, as is the speedy return of Ryan Giggs
(pardon the pun) to give us attacking options on both flanks. There can
be no doubting that Ronaldo, Ole and Saha have pulled United through in
this last month – but if this side are serious about dethroning Chelsea,
which they’re capable of, it’s time for other players to relieve that
burden. Over to you, Mr Rooney….
Until next month,
Keep the red flag
flying high,
John Monaghan |