Louis van Gaal hit the nail on the head when he said that United’s performances this season have often been comfortable but we seem to fade away as the game enters the latter stages. We capitulated against Leicester City, we hung on for dear life against West Ham and once again yesterday it was very uncomfortable viewing for the final quarter of the match.
There were however so many more positives than negatives in yesterday’s performance. Yes, there were moments of complacency. Yes, we looked vulnerable to the counter-attack at times in the second half. But it is evident that this group of players is beginning to gel. I would argue that it was our best performance of the season. The chances that we are creating and the style with which we are playing when attacking is looking like the United of old.
Away from the three points, this week I want to write about some fine individual performances that were on show at the Theatre of Dreams on Sunday. People have talked about Diego Costa fitting into Chelsea’s team so comfortably with devastating effect and I would argue that Angel Di Maria has done exactly the same at Old Trafford. His vision and his intellect when selecting a pass is unrivalled. His pace when running at people excites the crowd and terrorises defenders and is certainly what has been missing in the team. His positioning and ability to run into goal scoring positions will turn draws into wins. But none of that would count for anything without the man’s incredible work ethic. He runs with the ball. He chases down when he doesn’t have the ball. He has become an instant favourite with the Old Trafford Faithful at a time when we needed an iconic figure to idolise. He seems to be at the centre of everything United do.
Last week I wrote about a very competent and confident debut from Paddy McNair against an attacking West Ham team. This week he had 28 million pound man Lukaku tucked away in his back pocket all afternoon. His first half performance was as good a defensive display as you will see all season from the young nineteen year old. He won the ball every time Lukaku was one on one with him. His man marking was superb and he didn’t give the big Belgian an inch. He has taken his opportunity and despite our lack of defensive signings I am more than happy putting our trust in the youth that has come through this season. I see no reason why Blackett and McNair can’t eventually become a rock at the heart of the United defence. Blackett’s ninety fourth minute heroic block just heightened HIS growing reputation as a solid, strong centre back that will put his whole body on the line in the same manner that Nemanja Vidic has done over the past eight seasons. It is that desire that fans want to see and Blackett will be a very popular figure at Old Trafford with moments like that.
One thing that has been evident is the work rate that has been instilled into the team by Louis van Gaal. Much has been made of United’s handicap in defence this season but van Gaal has never shied away from discussing the issue. He doesn’t see defending as being a job solely for defenders. He wants us to defend as a team. To defend as a whole unit. Falcao’s performance at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon epitomised this philosophy. At one point he was putting in challenges in the left back position. Another incident saw him clear an Everton attempt off the line putting weight to van Gaal’s argument that defence must start from the front and work all the way back to the final line in front of De Gea.
As I have said there were some fantastic individual performances at Old Trafford yesterday. Di Maria, Rafael, Falcao, McNair but most notably David De Gea. His penalty save with almost the last kick of the first half ensured we went into the break with a narrow, but more than deserved, lead. What made the penalty all the more impressive was that it was the first Premier League penalty that Baines had ever missed.
It was however, De Gea’s heroics in the dying embers of the match that will be remembered. A fierce Leon Osman shot in injury time that was heading straight for De Gea’s bottom right hand corner at pace was majestically palmed wide by the outstretched Spaniard. Two minutes later Tyler Blackett put his whole body on the line as he launched himself in front of a Gareth Barry pile driver from six yards out. The resulting rebound fell to Cost Rican international Bryan Oviedo on the edge of the 18 yard area who smashed it goal bound through a wall of Red’s defenders only to be denied by the spectacular fingertip save of De Gea who had barely recovered from Barry’s initial shot. It was the kind of performance that has many United fans laying claim to him being the Premier League’s best goalkeeper and with that display who would argue.
It was another game where this new group of players have gained more experience playing together and understanding each other and you can see the performances improving. We still look very vulnerable from set pieces but Rome wasn’t built in a day and the confidence is returning. It was only two games ago that we were reminded that this had been our worst ever start to a Premier League season, but going into the international break in fourth spot certainly makes for more comfortable viewing. Whilst the break comes at a time when we were building a bit of momentum, it does give us the chance to decrease the length of our injury list and hopefully we will have one or two returnees by the time we face West Brom at The Hawthorns on the 20th October. It has been a long time since we have seen United in the top four but now we are there we need to fight to make sure we stay there.
By Si Glen's
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @sglen2001
There were however so many more positives than negatives in yesterday’s performance. Yes, there were moments of complacency. Yes, we looked vulnerable to the counter-attack at times in the second half. But it is evident that this group of players is beginning to gel. I would argue that it was our best performance of the season. The chances that we are creating and the style with which we are playing when attacking is looking like the United of old.
Away from the three points, this week I want to write about some fine individual performances that were on show at the Theatre of Dreams on Sunday. People have talked about Diego Costa fitting into Chelsea’s team so comfortably with devastating effect and I would argue that Angel Di Maria has done exactly the same at Old Trafford. His vision and his intellect when selecting a pass is unrivalled. His pace when running at people excites the crowd and terrorises defenders and is certainly what has been missing in the team. His positioning and ability to run into goal scoring positions will turn draws into wins. But none of that would count for anything without the man’s incredible work ethic. He runs with the ball. He chases down when he doesn’t have the ball. He has become an instant favourite with the Old Trafford Faithful at a time when we needed an iconic figure to idolise. He seems to be at the centre of everything United do.
Last week I wrote about a very competent and confident debut from Paddy McNair against an attacking West Ham team. This week he had 28 million pound man Lukaku tucked away in his back pocket all afternoon. His first half performance was as good a defensive display as you will see all season from the young nineteen year old. He won the ball every time Lukaku was one on one with him. His man marking was superb and he didn’t give the big Belgian an inch. He has taken his opportunity and despite our lack of defensive signings I am more than happy putting our trust in the youth that has come through this season. I see no reason why Blackett and McNair can’t eventually become a rock at the heart of the United defence. Blackett’s ninety fourth minute heroic block just heightened HIS growing reputation as a solid, strong centre back that will put his whole body on the line in the same manner that Nemanja Vidic has done over the past eight seasons. It is that desire that fans want to see and Blackett will be a very popular figure at Old Trafford with moments like that.
One thing that has been evident is the work rate that has been instilled into the team by Louis van Gaal. Much has been made of United’s handicap in defence this season but van Gaal has never shied away from discussing the issue. He doesn’t see defending as being a job solely for defenders. He wants us to defend as a team. To defend as a whole unit. Falcao’s performance at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon epitomised this philosophy. At one point he was putting in challenges in the left back position. Another incident saw him clear an Everton attempt off the line putting weight to van Gaal’s argument that defence must start from the front and work all the way back to the final line in front of De Gea.
As I have said there were some fantastic individual performances at Old Trafford yesterday. Di Maria, Rafael, Falcao, McNair but most notably David De Gea. His penalty save with almost the last kick of the first half ensured we went into the break with a narrow, but more than deserved, lead. What made the penalty all the more impressive was that it was the first Premier League penalty that Baines had ever missed.
It was however, De Gea’s heroics in the dying embers of the match that will be remembered. A fierce Leon Osman shot in injury time that was heading straight for De Gea’s bottom right hand corner at pace was majestically palmed wide by the outstretched Spaniard. Two minutes later Tyler Blackett put his whole body on the line as he launched himself in front of a Gareth Barry pile driver from six yards out. The resulting rebound fell to Cost Rican international Bryan Oviedo on the edge of the 18 yard area who smashed it goal bound through a wall of Red’s defenders only to be denied by the spectacular fingertip save of De Gea who had barely recovered from Barry’s initial shot. It was the kind of performance that has many United fans laying claim to him being the Premier League’s best goalkeeper and with that display who would argue.
It was another game where this new group of players have gained more experience playing together and understanding each other and you can see the performances improving. We still look very vulnerable from set pieces but Rome wasn’t built in a day and the confidence is returning. It was only two games ago that we were reminded that this had been our worst ever start to a Premier League season, but going into the international break in fourth spot certainly makes for more comfortable viewing. Whilst the break comes at a time when we were building a bit of momentum, it does give us the chance to decrease the length of our injury list and hopefully we will have one or two returnees by the time we face West Brom at The Hawthorns on the 20th October. It has been a long time since we have seen United in the top four but now we are there we need to fight to make sure we stay there.
By Si Glen's
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @sglen2001