RedsUnite: a man utd blog

(For the match review, click here.)

I stated last week, following our deflating loss to Manchester City, that United has reached its lowest point of the season. Coupled with the previous week’s uninspired draw against Tottenham Hotspur, United is certainly trending downward. Conceding the derby double to Man City is depressing enough, but the manner in which the match was lost has left the United community scratching its collective head looking for answers.

We looked egregious. There we stood, adorned in 1958 retro jerseys in honor of a team known for its free-flowing, authentic brand of football, yet we had no identity of our own. We were uncreative, inaccurate, absent-minded, unprofessional, uninspired and, in stark contrast to the side we were honoring, boring. In a match historically characterized by its great intensity and rivalry, United looked unprepared for battle and were exposed from the beginning.

It was a game in which you must battle and United, due to Ferguson’s arrogant side selection, had no teeth. He selected a side without a genuine holding midfielder. Out of the six midfield and attacking players SAF selected, only one, Anderson, could be said to be a decent tackler. This left our backline, which was uncharacteristically out of form, exposed to a City counter-attack that proved capable. The offensive benefit such an attack heavy side would seem to present was absent. We looked incapable of penetrating City’s defense. With Wayne Rooney absent, we were forced to play a manipulated side with Ronaldo in attack. Usually Ronaldo does capably in this role, but not on Sunday.

Football exposes its cruel nature tomorrow, as we are set to play Arsenal in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Coming off the worst week of our season, we head into a Cup match with the strongest side in England. Sitting atop the Premiership table, Arsenal’s excellence has not been accidental. Their current form has them undefeated in their last 10 league matches, with their only moment of vulnerability in the last two months coming in a Carling Cup match that featured a second-rate Arsenal side. They feature the strongest home record in the Premiership and, much to the concern of United, the second strongest away form in the EPL. They have only failed to score once, have the league’s third best record when they score first and are the leagues most resilient side, 4-2-1 after conceding the first goal. To make matters worse, they boast the league’s best record against the top half of the table. In fact, they are undefeated against top opposition in league play. Gulp.

Our recent history against the Gunners doesn’t paint a much rosier picture. Arsene Wenger has certainly had our number of late. With only one win in our last six against Arsenal, we are facing a side that has taken points from us in soul-crushing fashion. From November’s 9oth minute William Gallas equalizer to Thierry Henry’s deciding header in the 90th minute last year, Arsenal has shown a penchant making me cry.

There is history, there is rivalry and there is greatness. While this match will have no bearing on the League standings, the winner of this match will no doubt benefit psychologically. If Arsenal manages to come into Old Trafford and steal a Cup victory, while also standing five points clear of us in the league, it would be hard to argue we are the better side at present. This is a United side in desperate need of an uplifting performance, and the opportunity to eliminate Arsenal from the FA Cup could provide no better opportunity.

Here’s hoping that the return of Wayne Rooney gets United back on track, as United have yet to lose when he is in the side. Averaging three goals when he plays and only one goal when he is absent, his importance to the side cannot be overstated. He is our talisman, our inspiration and our spine. In a side that can look passive at times, Rooney’s aggressive play makes everyone play a little harder and dig in a bit deeper. I also would like to see Hargreaves in the side, for I would like nothing less than to see him put Fabregas’ pretty ass on the turf. He is a brilliant player, but he is simultaneously a flopper and a crier and such players deserve some grass in their mouths.

In summary of Sunday’s derby debacle I stated, “a football season is not linear and it will be our task to stay close should Arsenal falter. While this may be the low point in our season to date, our greatest task will be to insure we sink no lower.” I still believe that to be true. While this past week has certainly been one to forget, if this is as bad as it gets then we are still destined for great things. Our first step towards our destiny begins tomorrow and our result may dictate our future. While elimination from the FA Cup would technically mean nothing more than that, the ramifications of such a loss could be far reaching in its scope. May United shed itself of whatever has held us back last week and regain the form that made us feel we were unstoppable. While we may be down, we are far from out and Arsenal provides us with the perfect opportunity to get up off the mat.