Sunday, April 11, 2010

The Aftermath: United at Blackburn

Be ashamed Dimitar, be very ashamed.


The Breakdown
Blackburn 0-0 United.
A glorious gilt-edge, one-on-one chance squandered by Valencia in the first half, and a mis-firing Dimitar Berbatov sees United drop two points at Ewood. In a fiendishly frustrating match which never really got started, a compact Rovers side smothered any attack that came their way. Infrequent forays into our half saw United dominate possession. But so evident was that missing quality at the right end of the field, which really cost United in this one. Wayne's wonderful wizardry badly needed. Or a bit of Owen's, or Macheda's, magic right at the death.

Reaction
Berbatov really went missing today, in my opinion. When we needed magic, he gave us more moping than the mastery expected. I must admit I like Berbatov, but against a Blackburn side who've got a good home record and aren't about to play pretty football, a bit of digging in was needed—not looking around asking his team mates why the ball wasn't played into his feet.

Best player: I'd have to give it to Blackburn's Phil Jones. Made terrific tackles and blocks on our strikers and wingers. Imagine. I can't even think of the smallest excuse to give it to a United player this time.

Where We Stood, Where We Stand
Very much two points dropped at Ewood today. The draw takes us to 73 pts, one behind Chelski, but a game behind. The impetus sits squarely on Chelsea now who play Bolton on Tuesday. Arsenal face Spurs in the North London derby the next day, so it's a doubly fantastic for Chelsea, and an evermore devastating blow for United, who badly needed to turn the screw here and start off the first of the last five games of the season with a victory.

All we can do now is hope for a favour from our Lancashire neighbours against Chelsea (a thumping 5-0 win, please Bolton. Thanks), otherwise the gloom sets in on Old Trafford this season, with only the Carling Cup to show for it.

As it stands:
1|Chelsea|33P|54GD|74PTS
2|United |34P|50GD|73PTS
3|Arsenal|33P|41GD|71PTS

2 comments:

  1. Is it so wrong that I wanted to cry during that?

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  2. Not at all, man. I'd say crying would've been appropriate.

    That or shouting expletives and chucking shit at the TV...

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