Manchester United: Victory Over Luton Town and Big Premier League News

Sorry for the delay in writing this match report. I started a new job this week and had to focus on that. Much to my chagrin, this blog does not pay the bills!

United defeated newly-promoted Luton Town 1-0 in a nervy win at Old Trafford on November 11th. The goal was from center back Victor Lindelof, who swept home with a high finish on 59 minutes after the Hatters failed to properly clear their lines. While the scoreline was a narrow one, United could have easily had 2 or 3 goals if not for some woeful finishing by winger Alejandro Garnacho and forward Marcus Rashford. However, the positive news is that they were consistently creating chances against a team defending in the low block. That is something that has not really happened this season, so it was good to see a bit more creativity. Yes, the finishing must improve, but there was a direction and purpose about the team in this match. Manager Erik ten Hag can hang his hat on that improvement. A win is a win of course, but more goals will need to be scored so as to improve on United’s pitiful goal differential.

United went into the November international break 6th in the Premier League table on 21 points, having won 4 of their last 5 matches in the domestic league. Given how crap they’ve been to start this season, things could be much worse. They are 7 points off Man City in first place, and 5 points off of Tottenham in fourth place. The team must continue to improve and get healthy, but things could be a lot worse. United will travel to Liverpool to play Everton on November 26th, after the international break ends. England play their final two Euro 2024 qualifiers this month, with one of them happening today against Malta at Wembley. I will do a separate post after the final qualifying match against North Macedonia on Monday, November 20th to recap all of the action.

Speaking of Everton though, there was some absolutely massive news announced today by the Football Association (FA) concerning them. It was announced today that Everton would be docked 10 points for violations of the rules surrounding Financial Fair Play (FFP). The FFP rules are often murky and difficult to understand even for the most diligent and learned of football fans, but what it boils down to in this case is that Everton have lost too much money in the past three seasons. English top-flight clubs are permitted to lose a maximum £105m over three years, and an independent commission supposedly found Everton’s losses through 2021-22 amounted to £124.5m. It is also rumored that Everton will be sued for hundreds of millions of pounds by other clubs that were relegated in the past two seasons. Everton is appealing the points deduction of course, but if it stands it will be a massive blow to their hopes of avoiding relegation this season. Everton were in 14th place and and 9 points clear of the drop before today, but now they find themselves in 19th place and 2 points away from safety. This is a huge, huge deal. I don’t recall the last time a team were given a points deduction from the FA in the middle of a season, and 10 points is the biggest deduction ever handed out to a club by the FA.

A couple of things on this, though. For one, FFP is a far from perfect set of rules and I think ten points is a harsh penalty to pay. If they were indeed in violation of the rules surrounding the clubs finances then fine, but how is this penalty supposed to help a cash-strapped club like Everton fix their finances? Relegation would be even more devastating to them financially. Is the FA trying to send a message to the club’s owners regarding spending? Perhaps, but taking away Premier League television revenue (should they be relegated) will not help Everton bring in more money to offset those losses. The punishment does not fit the crime, if you ask me.

Further, the application of FFP rules are not evenly applied to every club. Oil-rich Manchester City are also under investigation for (numerous!) violations of FFP, but the prospect of the reigning champions being given a points deduction seem rather slim. Why? Well, City are extremely well-funded and they have an army of lawyers working to slow down the adjudication of the charges they face. The source(s) of their funding have always been cloudy, though many suspect that the government of Kuwait funnels money into the club through sideways means. Football clubs under FFP are meant to be generally self-sustaining, but it seems that City is not really adhering to that policy. They make their own money to be sure, but the amount of money they bring in does not really match up with match day attendance revenue and sponsorship deals year after year. If the FA wants clubs to take FFP rules seriously, City need to face the same or worse punishment as Everton already has. If there is no such punishment forthcoming, clubs like City will continue to ignore FFP and their will be nothing “fair” about them. There’s no denying the rules must be tightened, but if they aren’t equitably applied then there’s no point in having them altogether.

International Break – England Qualify for Euro 2024!

The recent international break saw England play two matches, both of which were at Wembley Stadium in London. The first match was a friendly played against Australia that was largely not entertaining. The Three Lions won 1-0 thanks to a fairly routine finish from Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who slid the ball home from close range after a low cross from Tottenham midfielder James Maddison. Always good to win of course, but no one really cared about this match. It was only a friendly, and England never play Australia outside of major tournaments. Everyone’s eyes were on the second match, a qualifier against Italy.

Italy and England have developed a little bit of a rivalry in recent years, largely thanks to the tense and bitter Euro 2020(1) final between the two nations a few years ago. England’s traditional rivals have always been Germany, France, and Argentina; yet Italy might be working their way into that conversation as well. Of course, Italy has historically dominated this matchup. It wasn’t even until earlier this year that England beat the Azzuri in Rome for the first time in 50+ years. This match carried extra importance as well. If England won (or earned a draw pending other results in the group), they would qualify for Euro 2024 next summer in Germany. It would be extra sweet to qualify by doing the double over Italy for England and manager Gareth Southgate. For the Italians and manager Luciano Spalletti, the alarm bells were beginning to sound. Despite winning Euro 2020(1), they have been fairly shambolic since. They failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, and are in real danger of not automatically qualifying for the Euros next summer unless they won this match.

And to their credit, for the opening 20 minutes or so, Italy were the better side. They took the lead on 15 minutes thanks to a high and powerful finish from West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca from about 10 yards out. Italy has needed a strong no. 9 for a few years now, and they seem to have found one in Scamacca. England needed a response, and they got one with a bit of luck from VAR. Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham was brought down in the box, and England were awarded a penalty on the half hour mark. After a lengthy VAR review, the call for a penalty stood despite it appearing that the defender got the ball before clipping Bellingham. But given how terrible VAR has been this year so far though, I will happily take VAR review going England’s way. Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane stepped up to the spot and sent Paris St. Germain and Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way with a finish into the right hand side of the net. It was Kane’s 60th goal in an England shirt, which of course continues to be the most for any England player ever. The sides went into the locker room at 1-1 after 45 minutes, with the home side in the ascendancy.

England continued their dominance into the early parts of the second half, and they were rewarded with a second goal on 57 minutes from Manchester United winger/forward Marcus Rashford. Bellingham was at the center of things again, playing the ball out wide to Rashford under pressure before running forward to join the attack. Rashford cut inside onto his right foot and skipped passed a challenge before finishing low into the right corner of the goal, with Donnarumma rooted to the spot. Rashford hasn’t gotten off to the best start at United this season, but he showed no signs of poor form with this goal. The Italian defense gave him space, and he punished them for it. Well done to Bellingham to beat the pressure he faced to provide the assist, as well. 2-1 to England, with Italy reeling.

England got a third to seal three points and Euro qualification on 77 minutes via the right boot of Kane. This was one of his more impressive England goals, as he showed how he has developed his game and evolved into a more complete striker as he has gotten older. He won a 50/50 ball on the halfway line against one of the Italian center backs, with the ball breaking kindly for him. As the Italians were playing with a high line while searching for their equalizer, Kane found himself through on goal after a nifty touch about 40 yards out. He is not known for his speed, but he used his strength and positioning skills to shield off challenges from behind him while he brought the ball forward. Donnarumma rushed out to try and narrow the angle, but Kane coolly finished over his left shoulder and made it look easy doing so. 61 goals for Kane, but more importantly, he sealed the win for England and sent the crowd inside Wembley into ecstasy.

The match ended 3-1, and there are many plaudits to be handed out. Well done to all the lads for showing composure after going down early and providing the response needed to book our tickets to Germany next summer. Italy now need serious help to qualify, as they find themselves in 3rd place in the group. It feels extremely satisfying to do the double over Italy this year and potentially send them into a tricky playoff in the process.

I could justifiably give Man of the Match to Kane for his two goals, but in this case it belongs to Bellingham. He had a hand in two of the three goals scored today and was a presence in midfield for most of the match. Jude Bellingham, Jude Bellingham, Jude Bellingham. I can’t say this young man’s name enough. He is only 20, but he is arguably the most naturally talented English player I have ever seen. This is a player who can truly do it all – dribble, pass, press, tackle, position play, and finishing. He’s been Real Madrid’s best player so far this season, and he continued his sensational form in an England shirt against Italy. Never seen a lad his size with such balance and composure. He also seems to be a bit more mature than his age would suggest, as most of his teammates for club and country describe how they love to play alongside him. The sky is the limit for Bellingham, and it’s arguable that he is (on form) the best player in the world even right now. I am so, so happy he plays for England. We have another 12 to13 years to look forward to of Jude Bellingham playing for us.

England have qualified with two matches to spare, which means that Southgate can treat the next two matches as friendlies if he wants to. This is a chance for him to experiment with line-ups and tactics, so as to be as prepared as possible for next summer’s Euros. He has hinted this will be his last tournament with England, and if it is, I hope he goes out on top. Of course, historically, qualifying for major tournaments has not been England’s problem. The disaster of 2008 notwithstanding, England usually qualify. The question remains though – can we win one? Can we win a trophy? This team looks insanely good on paper, and we have even more depth on the bench than we did last November at the World Cup. Bellingham and Kane are on fire, Rashford is coming on, and superstar Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka didn’t even play in this match. We are loaded at every position, and we need to win a trophy with this generation of players. Southgate has all the tools he needs to win, but can they finally get over the line for a nation dying of thirst for a trophy? We will see next summer!

Three Lions On the Shirts!

Manchester United – This One Is For Cathy Ferguson

Manchester United’s inconsistent form has continued the past few weeks. There was a win over Crystal Palace in the League Cup, followed by a dismal loss to the same side in the Premier League a few days later. United also lost to Turkish side Galatasaray in midweek in the Champions League, in a match marred by controversy. The main reason for this sputtering form is bad defending. The Red Devils have more leaks in defense right now than the Titanic post-iceberg, but that is largely due to injuries. Defenders Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have all been bitten by the injury bug at the exact same time. That’s the entire preferred back four out all at once. To make the atmosphere even more negative around Old Trafford, supporters were saddened by the loss of Cathy Ferguson, wife of former manager and United legend Sir Alex Ferguson. Her influence on this club is the biggest of any person who has never actually worked or played for us. She was the one who single-handedly convinced Ferguson not to retire when he initially wanted to in 2002, thus ensuring another decade of success and trophies for Manchester United. My deepest condolences to Sir Alex, the Ferguson family, and anyone who ever met Cathy.

The club needed a response today. Something needed to happen, and thankfully it did. United took on Brentford FC earlier today at Old Trafford in the Premier League, with three points being the order of the day. Unfortunately, United found themselves down a goal on 26 minutes after midfielder Casemiro needlessly gave the ball away, and Bees midfielder Mathias Jensen was on hand to sweep home a low finish past United keeper Andre Onana. United had been lackluster up until that moment, and they were punished for their usual complacency.

The poor play continued until about the last half an hour or so. Manager Erik ten Hag brought on striker Anthony Martial and winger Antony dos Santos around that time, with the ineffective forward Marcus Rashford among those coming off. United improved significantly with these changes, although Martial and substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho were wasteful in front of goal. As the clock ticked towards full time, ETH made another key substitution – bringing on midfielder and Scotland international Scott McTominay for make-shift left back Sofyan Amrabat.

Six minutes of stoppage time was given by the referee, and United finally got an equalizer on 93 minutes thanks to a tidy finish from McTominay. Brentford failed to clear their lines, and McTominay showed great predatory instinct to beat Brentford keeper Thomas Strakosha at his near post. Old Trafford erupted in celebration when United finally found a way through for 1-1.

McTominay and United weren’t finished, though. The Red Devils won a free kick near the halfway line on the right wing, just as the clock hit the 97th minute of play. Had United not already scored, the referee may have blown his whistle and not permitted us to take the free kick. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes played a high aerial ball into the box, and it found the head of center back Harry Maguire. Maguire was on the left side of the box, and his header back towards the goal found McTominay on a run. McTominay had ghosted in front of his marker intelligently, and he looped the pass from Maguire up over Strakosha and into the back of the net for 2-1. A winner in Fergie Time! Absolutely amazing. The ref blew his whistle shortly after that and United miraculously emerged with a victory!

The storylines from this one are fantastic. A Scottish player scores two goals in stoppage time to win the match the day after the death of Cathy Ferguson. It was absolutely magical and it was desperately needed for the club. Here’s to hoping Sir Alex can smile about something now. Well done to McTominay and the rest of the lads for not quitting. Effort is something that has been lacking this season, and I hope the players remember that they are never out of a match. They have to keep fighting. They have to keep running at the opposition and taking chances. United have been incredibly short on luck this season too, so it was about time a roll of the dice went our way. There are still many issues with these players and the manager’s tactics that need to be addressed, but credit to ETH for getting his substitutions right (this time). He changed the game with those subs, and Brentford failed to put the game away. Big shoutout to the much-maligned Maguire as well. He takes a lot of flak when he doesn’t play well, but he was a rock in central defense today and that needs to be noted.

Here’s to hoping that this win is the spark the club needed to get back into consistently good form. A win like this one can change the mentality of the players and fans from negativity and pessimism to self-believe and positivity. United head into the October international break with a win, which is all anyone can ask for. They are now out of action until October 21st, when they travel north to play Sheffield United. England have a friendly against Australia on October 13th, and then there is a crucial Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy at Wembley on October 17th.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

International Break: England Play a Qualifier and a Friendly

The first international break of the 2023/24 season saw England travel to Poland for a Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine, followed by a friendly in Glasgow against the Scottish.

England travelled to Wroclaw, Poland for the fifth match in their qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 next summer in Germany. This match would normally be held within the borders of Ukraine as it was a designated “home” match for them, but sporting events of all kinds are not happening in Ukraine currently due to the ongoing war with Russia. As such, there is no set of players more bonded and motivated to play well right now than Ukraine. England found that out the hard way. The match was slow and tepid for the most part; certainly not one that will be remembered down the road. The Ukrainians struck first through Arsenal wingback Oleksandr Zinchenko, and England were slow to respond. They got an equalizer in the second half however, when an excellent aerial pass from Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane found the run of Manchester City right back Kyle Walker, who poked home from close range for his first ever England goal. The match finished 1-1, which was probably the deserved result given England’s slow and conservative play. Despite dropping points for the first time in the qualifying campaign, they still are top of Group C. They have a six point lead over 2nd place Italy, having played one more game. The result must improve in the next match, but the Three Lions are still in the drivers’ seat to win the group and qualify for next summer’s Euros.

The match against Scotland was a lot more entertaining and fun to watch, despite it being a friendly. The match took place in the cauldron of atmosphere known as Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland. The match was held in commemoration of 150 years of football rivalry between England and Scotland. Indeed, the first ever international football match was played between these neighboring British Isles nations in 1873. It’s a fierce rivalry rooted in politics and nationalism, and you can always bet on both teams to play with intensity.

England were the better of the two sides for the opening 30 minutes by a considerable margin. They were all over Scotland, running at them and creating chances at a frenetic pace. They got the opening goal on 32 minutes from Man City midfielder Phil Foden, who redirected a fierce low cross/shot from Walker into the back of the net. Scotland keeper Angus Gunn couldn’t have done anything about it. A deserved goal and good technique from Foden, and he did especially well to be in the right place at the right time.

England doubled their advantage just three minutes later. A cross from the left hand side of the box was collected by Scotland and Liverpool left back Andrew Robertson, but in his attempt to clear the ball he mishit it and it fell to the feet of England and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham. Bellingham, in sensational form for club and country right now, was largely unmarked and he hit a low shot just to the right of Gunn, who was too slow to get a block in. It was a little bit of a tap-in, but Bellingham had also been involved in the first goal and many of England’s chances. I don’t think this country has seen a central midfielder like him for quite some time, maybe ever. He’s only 20 and starting regularly for both England and Real freaking Madrid, and he has proven himself to be a star player on both teams. He has immaculate technique on the ball for a guy his size, and he has the footballing intelligence and talent to play absolutely killer passes to the forwards. I am beyond happy that he is going to be playing for England for another 10-12 years at least.

At halftime it was 2-0, and with the match in hand for England, manager Gareth Southgate elected to rotate the team a little. One of the players he brought on was center back Harry Maguire, a much maligned figure both for England and Manchester United. Most fans have made it clear they don’t want him to play for England anymore, but he was brought on by Southgate nevertheless. Unfortunately, he was the reason Scotland earned themselves a goal on 67 minutes when he accidentally turned a cross from Robertson into his own net. England keeper Aaron Ramsdale likely had the cross covered had Maguire left the ball alone, but he stuck his leg out and turned it into an empty net. Now it’s true that Scotland were playing better after the break and likely deserved a goal, but it was a poor decision from Maguire to stick his leg out at a cross that was probably going to be collected by the keeper. Did Ramsdale owe him a shout? Did Ramsdale shout for it and did Maguire ignore him? Unclear, but the ball still went in and it was 2-1.

Fortunately, England were not done. Kane decided he wanted to make his mark on the match, and he did so on 81 minutes. Bellingham was still full of pace and vigor, and after he wriggled around some challenges near the Scotland penalty area, he found Kane with an excellent through ball. Kane took the ball with a light touch and finished with his left foot into the opposite corner. A really beautiful goal to watch. As long as we let Kane, Bellingham, Foden, and winger/forward Marcus Rashford play in attack, the Three Lions are going to score goals. It’s absolutely brilliant to watch when they are in rhythm. It was also the 59th England goal for Kane, who breaks his own record every time he scores. England’s greatest ever center forward? Probably!

England won 3-1, and while it doesn’t mean anything in terms of competition, it’s always nice to beat Scotland at Hampden Park. I was happy to see the England away fans sing about Maguire after the final whistle. His place in the team is definitely in danger due to his own form and the good form of Brighton & Hove Albion center back Lewis Dunk, but he doesn’t deserve the hatred he gets. He takes a lot of criticism on social media and in the traditional media, so some positive support was probably good for him. He did not play well today to be sure and he likely needs some time away from the spotlight, but it seems that United will still need to rely on him for a while due to the injuries to all the other center backs.

England are off until the next international break in October. They will play Australia at Wembley Stadium on October 13th in another friendly, then they have a massive Euro qualifier against Italy again at Wembley on October 17th. If we can beat Italy again, we are virtually guaranteed to win the group and qualify for Euro 2024!

Three Lions On the Shirts!

Premier League: Frustrating Defeat at Arsenal

Manchester United travelled south to London earlier today for their fourth match of the Premier League season against Arsenal. The rivalry with Arsenal dates back to the 1990s and hasn’t really cooled off over the years. Both of these clubs have title aspirations and top-4 aspirations, so even though this fixture was early in the season, it carried a lot of significance. United manager Erik ten Hag knew that the Red Devils’ away form against the top teams needed to improve, and this match was a great chance to do so. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had his side off a good start, but he knew United would be a very tough test even at home.

The first half was fairly even, in a way. Arsenal were the better team going forward. They were creating chances, but their attacks were being consistently repelled by a dogged United defense. Left back Diogo Dalot and right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka were doing well at shutting down Arsenal’s talented wingers. United had more of the possession in the first 45, but their possession was usually in their own half. Keeper Andre Onana was doing very well with playing the ball out from the back, which is the precise reason he was brought in. Interestingly, United scored with their first shot on target on 27 minutes.

Midfielder Christian Eriksen picked up a loose ball in his own half and brought it forward into space before finding striker Marcus Rashford ahead of him on the left wing. Rashford was given space by the Arsenal back four to cut inside the box onto his right foot, and he unleashed a vicious shot that Gunners keeper Aaron Ramsey could only parry onto the inside of the post and into the goal. Emirates Stadium was stunned, given that goal was very much against the run of play. Happy to see Rashford finally off the mark for the season. He was our leading scorer last season and he needs to get back to that form. 1-0 United!

The celebrations in the away fans’ section were short-lived though, as Arsenal were level just 35 seconds after the restart. Arsenal captain and midfielder Martin Ødegaard was given too much space on the edge of the box by the United defense after being found by winger Gabriel Martinelli. He let a long-range shot go that was hit with power and placement, and Onana couldn’t get to it in time. Two goals in roughly a minute electrified a match that had been somewhat dull up to that point. Oddly though, those were the two most notable moments of the first half. Two moments of madness in a sea of drudgery. It was 1-1 at halftime with all to play for.

The second half was similarly slow-paced for the first 25-30 minutes or so. United were creating more chances, but Arsenal were holding them off effectively and creating the odd chance or two of their own. Arsenal wanted a penalty when striker Kai Havertz tumbled in the box under a challenge from AWB, and referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot. After a VAR check though, the penalty call was rescinded. There wasn’t a lot of contact, if any, on Havertz before he went down, and Taylor deemed it a non-penalty. More on Taylor below. Arsenal then went close when winger Bukayo Saka got on the end of a cross at close range, but his shot was straight at Onana.

A troubling issue for United were the injuries sustained by center backs Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof as the second half wore on. They were already without center back Raphael Varane and left back Luke Shaw due to injury, so options were extremely thin. It was eventually the out-of-favor Harry Maguire and 35-year-old Jonny Evans in central defense for United towards the end. The injuries affected this result, no doubt.

The Red Devils thought they had a winner however on 88 minutes when substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho was put through on goal. He carried through the attacking third, after which he slotted home past Ramsey to the ecstasy of United supporters in the away end. However, Taylor and VAR needed to have their say again. Somehow, mystifyingly, the replay official deemed Garnacho to have been offside when he received the ball, despite him appearing to be level or even slightly behind the last Arsenal defender. The goal was ruled out and we continued at 1-1.

Arsenal earned a corner in the 5th minute of stoppage time, and the ball was swung into the box towards the back post. Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was there, and he bundled home a deflected finish past Onana to give Arsenal a lead they wouldn’t surrender. It was a heartbreaker for the Red Devils, but they didn’t give up. They threw men forward for an equalizer, and were likely denied a penalty when substitute striker (and United debutante) Rasmus Højlund was wrestled to the ground in the box. Curiously, no replay was shown on TV feeds of this incident. A VAR check was supposedly conducted, but no penalty was given.

Arsenal got a third in the 11th minute of stoppage time when striker Gabriel Jesus caught United on the break. There weren’t enough men back to stop him, and he faked out his marker rather thoroughly before slotting past Onana from close range. It was insult to injury, really. Arsenal won 3-1.

The referee was not helpful today, but United were really hindered by the injuries to the center backs. This was heading towards a respectable 1-1 before the defense finally cracked under the Arsenal pressure. Rice was completely alone at the back post for the winner. Who was supposed to be marking him? United conceded far too many corners and there was finally one too many. The third goal wouldn’t have happened if it stayed 1-1, as United would have had more men back to defend. But the bigger issue is the fact that for long periods of time in this match the build-up play was slow and labored. United have fast and technically gifted attacking players, and they play best when they play fast.

Whoever the VAR official was in this match, he completely lost the plot with the offside call against Garnacho. Terrible. Awful. Total miss. Garnacho was onside. It seems the offside rule is written in pencil, as it changes week to week. Even under the new rule, this was an extremely harsh call that affected the outcome of the match. We went from having a potential 2-1 lead on 88 minutes to losing the match 3-1. Can’t believe we can’t figure out the offside rule in 2023.

The outcome remains the same of course, no matter how much the referee blew it. United’s struggles on the road against top sides continue. Only 6 points from the first four matches this season as well. Injuries are piling up. New signings Serge Reguilon and Sofyan Amrabat are waiting in the wings, and hopefully we can get some defenders healthy during the upcoming international break. I was impressed with Højlund today. He’s a bigger lad than I thought he was, and technically gifted for his size. He had a key role in the build-up to The Goal That Wasn’t for Garnacho.

The non-injured players will now join up with their national teams for the next two weeks. England have away matches against Ukraine and Scotland in the qualifiers for Euro 2024. England have a 100% record so far in qualifying, and they are more than capable of continuing that in the next two matches. ETH will be wise to use this time to evaluate his tactical plans and incorporate the new signings more into the team. United must improve away from Old Trafford to have any hope of maintaining pace with Arsenal and league leaders Manchester City.

As always, Glazers Out!

FA Cup: United Through to the Semifinals After Fulham Implode

Manchester United played host to west London side Fulham FC today in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup. If United had all players available they would have been heavy favorites, but the absence of regular starters Casemiro (suspension), Christian Eriksen (injury), and Raphael Varane (injury) would have been encouraging to Fulham and manager Marco Silva. Fulham have historically struggled at Old Trafford, but Silva knew that today would likely present an opportunity for an upset. Fulham have been in good form generally this season, which is a testament to the job Silva has done with them given that they were only promoted from the Championship last season. Meanwhile, United manager Erik ten Hag and the players have made it clear that they are pushing for another trophy this season, so he named as strong a team as he could possibly select.

The first half was almost all Fulham. They were more dominant in possession almost the entire opening 45 minutes. United were simply being over-run in midfield. The absences of Casemiro and Eriksen were very noticeable. Fulham’s best player by a mile was midfielder João Palhinha. He won tackles, played some excellent passes, and was able to carry the ball through United’s midfield routinely. There was a lack of energy by the Red Devils today, too. They looked tired. Perhaps the grueling fixture list this season was finally taking it’s toll a bit. Still, despite their dominance, Fulham were having trouble creating clear chances. United’s back line, marshalled by center back Lisandro Martinez, was the only unit of the team playing with any degree of ferocity.

United really struggled going forward as well. Forward Marcus Rashford was isolated on the left hand side, midfielder Bruno Fernandes’s passing was more wayward than accurate, and winger/midfielder Jadon Sancho didn’t look like he knew where he was supposed to play. No matter how much ETH shuffled the forward line, they really struggled to make Fulham keeper Bernd Leno earn his paycheck in the first half. Midfielder Marcel Sabitzer forced him into a fairly routine save on 40 minutes, but that was about as dangerous as things got for the Black and Whites from London. So while Fulham were the better of the two teams, it was 0-0 after 45 minutes.

All of Old Trafford and most of the people watching would have expected a second half response from United. This is because ETH has proven himself to be an effective reader of the game, and also an effective motivator. United needed to up their intensity a bit, but instead what we got was Fulham taking things up a notch instead. They won a succession of corners that really put United under a lot of pressure, and they finally got their break-through from talismanic striker Aleksandar Mitrović on 50 minutes. Fulham forced a corner after a series fine saves from keeper David De Gea, at first to deny left back Antonee Robinson and then again from winger Willian. For the goal, it was former United midfielder Andreas Pereira playing the ball in over the top, and it was flicked on into the path of Mitrović by Fulham center back Issa Diop. Mitrović stuck his left leg out and fired home from about 5 yards out, despite what appeared to be a foul on Rashford in the build-up to the goal. Fulham were good value for their lead, and a VAR check confirmed there was no foul on Rashford. An argument could be made that he was indeed fouled, but again the bigger issue was United letting Fulham outplay them for 50 minutes. 0-1 to the Londoners.

Things kept going Fulham’s way for another 20 minutes or so after that as well. United’s response to going down was rather tepid, and Fulham kept pushing. De Gea did well to athletically save a headed effort from Mitrović on 66 minutes, and Mitrović saw another header go wide just seconds after that. United were truly under the cosh and lucky not to be down by 2.

The entire nature and complexion of this match changed on 72 minutes. United broke forward and got into a promising position for the first time in a while, with the ball finding Sancho in a forward position after a good run and pass from substitute winger Antony dos Santos. Sancho took the ball around Leno, but his shot from 12 yards was cleared off the line by Willian at the near post. A corner was given by referee Chris Kavanagh, but there were calls from United supporters and players alike for a VAR check on the clearance. Upon review, it was clear that Willian stuck his arm out and used his hand to clear the ball! As Kavanagh made his way to the pitch-side monitor to check for a penalty, Silva said something to either him or the 4th official on the touchline. Kavanagh took issue with it, and he showed Fulham’s manager a red card! He then checked the replay and awarded the penalty, while simultaneously sending off Willian for a deliberate handball in the box. As if the situation wasn’t bad enough for Fulham, Mitrović then decided to get in the referee’s face as well, and the confrontation escalated to Mitrović actually shoving Kavanagh! There is no professional sport where can you deliberately contact the referee and get away unpunished, and this sport is no different. Kavanagh instantly went back to his pocket and showed Mitrović a red card too! Absolutely wild.

In the span of about 40 seconds, Fulham saw their manager, striker, and winger all sent off. They were down to 9 men for the final 20 minutes or so, with United also having a penalty awarded to them for the handball. Bruno stepped up to the spot and casually sent Leno the wrong way, making it 1-1 to United! The Red Devils smelled blood, and it was apparent that Fulham were shell-shocked by the mad decisions of Silva, Willian, and Mitrović. United were ahead just 2 minutes later, with left back Luke Shaw operating in acres of space before he crossed back into the middle. Sabitzer was on hand to flash down and back-heel the cross into the goal, with Leno unable to keep it out. Talk about a wild swing! United went from 11 vs 11 and down a goal to up 2-1 versus 9 men in the span of about five minutes. Well done to Sabitzer for opening his goal scoring account today as well!

Fulham’s heads were gone after that, and they didn’t have the numbers to cause United problems going forward. Once it was 2-1, United never looked like conceding another goal. They kept possession and created more chances going forward as well. They got their third deep into stoppage time, with Bruno firing home decisively from about 12 yards out after being found by substitute midfielder Fred. A good goal from Bruno to seal the deal, but United were definitely aided by their numerical advantage. The final whistle blew and United won 3-1, having earned themselves a second Wembley trip this season.

Make no mistake, Fulham gave this game away. Up until 72 minutes, they were the better side and looked like they would be the ones moving on to the semis. United looked fatigued, the tactics from ETH weren’t great until the subs started coming on, and Fulham were more or less bossing the game. I have been watching this sport for 20+ years, and I don’t think I’ve seen a bigger implosion and mental collapse from a team than what I saw from Fulham today. I don’t know what was said by Silva to warrant his sending off, and I am even more in the dark as to what he was complaining about. Kavanagh hadn’t even awarded the penalty before Silva started mouthing off to him. Willian’s decision to use his hand was also mystifying, but he probably thought it was necessary to prevent a goal. The biggest mystery here though is why Mitrović felt the need to start remonstrating with the official. Mitrović has a reputation for being a hot-headed and aggressive player, but his decision to get into the ref’s face and then shove him was pure recklessness. Fulham had the game in hand, and even with a penalty to United it was still 1-0 with 10 men at that point. Had Bruno missed the penalty, Mitrović still could have helped his team get a result. He has to be smarter there. He has to realize the big picture of the situation and stay out of the referee’s face, no matter how upset he was. But it was 3 red cards shown to Fulham in the span of about 40 seconds, and all 3 were probably deserved. A total and complete mental implosion from Fulham FC today.

ETH knew his side got away with one today, and he rightfully praised De Gea’s timely saves in the second half to keep United in the match. Sometimes you have to be lucky in this game, and that is precisely what happened today. For 72 minutes, United were second-best. I am still frankly in a degree of disbelief that the colossal mental collapse of Fulham. United were better once they were down to 9 men and it was 1-1, but that is to be expected at this level with the quality United have. Credit to Kavanagh for holding his nerve today, although I would like to know what Silva said to him that earned him a red. A manager being red-carded for dissent is not unprecedented, but it is exceptionally rare. Fulham will be absolutely kicking themselves today. Well done to United for immediately taking advantage of the situation and getting their second goal just moments after the first one went in.

United do not have another match until April 2nd, as we have hit the March international break. Players that have been called up to play for their countries will go and do so, with some others getting a little bit of a break. England face Italy in a Euro 2024 qualifier on March 23rd, with another qualifier against Ukraine on March 26th. United’s next match is in the Premier League away to Newcastle, and they will be returning to Wembley for the FA Cup Semifinals against Brighton & Hove Albion at the end of April. I do think some of our players need a break, so some of them having the next two weeks off to recover will do them wonders.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

England Demolish Albania, Move to Within Touching Distance of the World Cup

The international break is on for the clubs across Europe, which means that not only are England back in action, I get to take a break from writing about the very negative atmosphere in the red portion of Manchester right now.

England played their last home match of their World Cup 2022 qualifying campaign yesterday afternoon at Wembley, taking on Albania. Albania came into this match 3rd in Group I, while England were sitting firmly atop. Albania needed three points to keep any hope of making the playoff alive, while England knew that a win could potentially qualify them. That would only happen if Poland lost to Andorra though, which was a very unlikely thing to happen.

In contrast to previous matches where England got off to a slow and/or laboring start, England were at full throttle almost from the get-go. It’s very difficult to get all 11 players up and going right away usually, so to see such a fast start was welcome. England, in a resplendent blue kit, were positively flying around and passing the ball extremely well, and they were rewarded with the opening goal on just 9 minutes via a set-piece. England won a foul on the edge of the area and the free kick was taken by Chelsea right-back (today playing as a right-wingback) Reece James. He played a sublime diagonal ball over the top of the Albanian defense, where Manchester United center back (and captain) Harry Maguire met the ball with his head. He drove the ball back across the goal and into the net with Albanian keeper Thomas Strakosha beaten. He wheeled away in a celebration that perhaps indicated he was trying to silence the critics of his recent play at United. It’s true he’s had some shockers recently, but I think a goal for England is going to be good for his confidence. Maguire seems to be a confidence-driven player, and if he can start believing in himself a bit again it will be good for country and club.

It should be noted that England and Everton keeper Jordan Pickford was forced into a fine save just after the England opener, after Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker played a very poor back pass straight into the path of an Albanian striker. It ended up being a fairly tame effort on goal, but it could have easily been 1-1. However, it probably would not have mattered in the end given the eventual England onslaught.

It was only the beginning of a dream day for England and a nightmare for Albania. About 9 minutes later, England got their second via a wonderfully-worked goal down the right hand flank. James and Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson played a lovely 1-2 around the Albanian defenders, with Henderson finding himself on the ball on the right side of the box near the end line. He spotted talismanic Tottenham striker Harry Kane in the middle largely unmarked, and played a delightful chipped cross to him. Kane rose highest to the ball and nodded it deftly past Strakosha for 2-0. A good goal, but Albania were completely lost defensively. The marking was so bad that England and Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell would have also easily finished the cross had Kane not been in front of him. But a world-class striker like Kane does not miss from point-blank range. You expect a player like Kane to get into that position. Credit again though to James and Henderson for some very good build-up play.

The Three Lions smelled blood at that point and continued to pour on the pressure. It was Henderson’s turn to get on the score sheet, remarkably for only the second time in his England career. James was involved in the buildup again, with him winning a second ball from a poor Albanian defensive header in a dangerous area. He then played a short pass to Manchester City winger/forward Phil Foden, who then found Henderson about 20 yards from the box. Henderson played a sharp pass into Kane, and Kane controlled the ball beautifully. He played the ball with his heel back into the path of the onrushing Henderson, who took a very deft touch around an Albanian defender before pinging his shot into the bottom far corner of the goal. Henderson is normally a defensive midfielder, but England were dominating so well through the middle he was able to come forward and get involved with two goals. The floodgates were beginning to well and truly open and the only question was how many more England would get.

Then it was Kane time. He decided he wanted to score some more instead of providing assists. Albania gave the ball away very cheaply in midfield, and Manchester City winger/forward Raheem Sterling was allowed to run a good distance towards the goal. Kane was in front of him just off to his left. Sterling played an excellent through ball to Kane, who was being played onside by a defender fairly far away from him. He took a few touches into the left side of the box, before lashing a screamer into the far side-netting. Strakosha could do nothing about it. At 4-0 it was now over, just 33 minutes into the match.

Just for good measure, Kane secured England’s fifth and a first half hat-trick for himself a minute into stoppage time. England won a corner that was played into the box by Foden, and once again Kane was there to finish in spectacular fashion. He hit the ball on the volley with a scissor-kick, and Strakosha had no chance of keeping out a shot with such velocity on it. He saved his best finish on the day for last – falling away from the ball but still getting excellent contact with his right boot. Yes the marking was again by poor by Albania, but you can’t take anything away from Kane’s finish. It was 5-0 at halftime and if Albaia manager Edoardo Reja could have thrown in the proverbial towel, he would have.

The second half was dull in comparison, with England somewhat understandably in cruise control and not really trying all that hard to go and get another one. Albania had one or two shots on Pickford’s goal from long distance, but he was never really troubled. No more goals were scored, probably due to the substitutions, injuries, and fouls that created a very stuttered flow to the match. One notable moment was the debut of Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe, a very promising young talent that has had a great season so far for the Gunners in the middle of the park. Again, nothing much of note happened for him, but it’s always good for a young player to get time in a competitive match.

Speaking of, Kane is now England’s all time leading goal scorer in competitive football matches, overtaking Wayne Rooney. He still has not eclipsed Rooney’s overall goal scoring record for England (53), but it is almost inevitable now that he will. With his hat-trick today he is now tied with the legendary Jimmy Greaves on 44 goals. He only needs 9 to tie Rooney and 10 to overtake him, and that could happen at next winter’s World Cup in 2022. England have never had a dominant center forward such as Kane, and we have never had a man score so many important goals for us.

Southgate of course will be happy with this display, and he will be even happier that it happened without the services of players such as Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford, and Jadon Sancho. It’s again a testament to England’s strength in depth that we can put 5 goals past half-decent opposition without several extremely good players. I suppose as long as Kane is out there, that’s all we really need. When he is in the mood, I don’t think he can be stopped. Southgate promised that England would put on a show in his pre-match interviews, and his team very much delivered on that. A 6th goal in the second half would have been a nice ribbon on the gift, but not getting one is hardly grounds for complaint.

As expected, Poland did end up beating Andorra 4-1. That means England have a 3 point lead over Poland with one match left in qualifying, and therefore they only need a draw against bottom-dwellers San Marino to secure passage to World Cup 2022 as the winners of Group I. That match will happen on Monday at the Stadio Olimpico di Serravalle in San Marino. All I will say is that if we can put 5 past Albania, we should be putting 10 past San Marino. They are the lowest ranked country in FIFA’s world rankings, at 210th out of 210. They have a goal differential of -35 and have not registered a single point in 9 qualifying matches. To say that they are underdogs would be the understatement of the year. All England need is a point against the minnowest of minnows, but it would be embarrassing even to win by a small margin. Barring the miracle of all miracles, England should qualify for World Cup 2022 on Monday.

Three Lions on the shirts!

England Demolish Andorra, One Step Closer to WC 2022

England travelled to Andorra la Vella, Andorra yesterday for the first match of two in this international break. England were heavy favorites going in, and frankly it would have taken divine intervention for Andorra to get anything out of this. Going off the previous result, it’s abundantly clear that England’s players are bigger, stronger, and faster than the Andorrans. It’s really that simple, in this situation. Andorra would have to defend like their lives depended on it to get anything out of this match. It was interesting to see Andorra’s new national stadium, Estadio Nacional. To give you some perspective on how tiny Andorra is, the capacity for their national stadium is only about 3,000. Even more stunning is the fact that the population of Andorra is about 77,000 when the capacity of Wembley in London is 90,000. You could fit the entire population of Andorra inside Wembley Stadium if you needed to, with room to spare.

Things got off to a slow start for England but they were dominant in possession at least from the get-go. A lot of the normal first-choice players were not in the side. Frankly, you don’t need a Harry Kane or Raheem Sterling to win a match like this. Well, you shouldn’t at least. England had deployed forward/winger Phil Foden in holding midfield, a decision from manager Gareth Southgate I initially questioned as that is not his natural position. However, it was the correct decision as Foden was under instruction to use his range of passing to play balls in behind the Andorra defense on the left side. He consistently found free runners in the box and it was the key to the breakthrough goal on 18 minutes. Foden found Jadon Sancho in space in the box, having made a cleverly-timed run into the box. Sancho had his back to goal when he received it, but it played it to Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell who casually slotted home for his first England goal. The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but after a VAR review it was determined that Sancho was level when he made his initial run into the box.

Despite scoring, Andorra failed to address the issue of Foden playing long diagonal passes into the box. I am not sure what they could have done to address it, but they simply could not handle Foden’s passing. Utterly devastating to them. England’s second goal on 40 minutes was also set-up by Foden, who played a straighter pass this time to Arsenal winger/forward Bukayo Saka in the box. The first touch was excellent from Saka and he blasted the ball into the roof of the net past Andorra keeper Josep Gomes with his second touch. Despite still being in the first half, this match was already close to over. It was only a question of how many England would win by. Andorra offered nothing to test deputy England keeper Sam Johnstone.

While the half ended without any further goals, the yellow cards piling up for England were somewhat concerning. I questioned the legitimacy of some of them, but there was no need for England to fly into tackles recklessly. I like being competitive and I like playing with desire no matter the opponent, but those two traits can’t get in the way of common sense. I normally slag off the referee when they don’t do well, but I think the all-female referee crew led by Kateryna Monzul did fairly well in the match. I only mention her gender because she was the first woman ever to referee an England match. Well done to her and her crew, one or two decisions notwithstanding.

England’s dominance continued in the second half with goal no. 3 coming on 58 minutes. Tammy Abraham was tasked with leading the forward line in this match, and it could be said he was somewhat wasteful in the first half, having scuffed a good chance off the post. But he made no mistake with this chance. Sancho found himself on the ball in the left channel, with only one man marking him. The marker gave him too much space, so he hit a cross into the box aimed generally at Abraham. Abraham made a nifty little run that left his marker in the dust, after which he got just enough of a touch on the ball to guide it into the net. Abraham has found a resurgence of form under Jose Mourinho at Roma, and it was nice to see him get on the scoresheet today. He probably will not be unseating Kane as the starting forward any time soon, but strength in depth is key for any side.

The Andorrans became more feisty after that, and really they were lucky to escape the match with all 11 players still on the pitch. England got their fourth due to this lack of discipline. Substitute forward Jack Grealish was brought down in the box, and Monzul decisively awarded a penalty. No question about it, despite a brief VAR review. Kane was not on the pitch, so Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse stepped up to take it. His initial shot was too close to Gomes and he produced a fine save, but Ward-Prowse was quickest to the rebound and he blasted it home from close range.

Andorra’s misery was further compounded about 10 minutes later. Johnstone collected a wary cross into his own area, after which he spotted Grealish streaking toward the opposite goal near the half-way line. Johnstone then produced an NFL quarterback-like throw directly into the path of Grealish, who carried the ball through the Andorra half. His dribbling prowess was on full display as he rode challenges all the way. He eventually got close enough and slotted the ball into the goal low and away to the keeper’s right. Andorra should have done better to get a tackle in, but you could see the fatigue in their legs and Grealish is simply just too good on the ball.

There were several points in this match where I almost felt sorry for Andorra. The gulf in class is just absolutely massive and it’s borderline unfair to them. I still think that how qualification is handled regarding these smaller countries needs to be re-evaluated by UEFA. If you want one of these smaller countries to have a shot at qualifying, they need to play in their own group. Feeding minnows like Andorra and San Marino to the likes of England and Poland is tantamount to lambs at the abattoir.

You could make a case for Sancho or Grealish being Man of the Match, but realistically it was Phil Foden. He was unstoppable in midfield all day and will give Southgate food for thought in future matches. England finished the match 5-0, and are now 4 points clear of second-place Albania in Group I. England have scored more goals in this WC qualifying campaign than the previous one, and we still have 3 matches left to play. All attention now turns to Hungary on Tuesday at Wembley. I expect more of the usual starters to play, as three points against the Hungarians all-but-qualifies England for 2022. If we win, then at worst we would have a four point lead with only 6 available points remaining.

Three Lions on the Shirts!

England Off to a Flying Start in Euro 2020 Qualifier

The international breaks during the club season are always kind of conflicting for many fans, and opinions on it can change depending on how your club is doing when the break comes. For Manchester United fans this season, this two-week break from club football is a welcome relief for many players struggling with injuries. Several United players were forced to withdraw from international duty due to lingering injuries and probably overall fatigue. Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, and Romelu Lukaku all elected to return to Manchester for treatment on various injuries. You always want to see United players do well for their national teams, especially the English players of course. But right now, this season, I am not upset about them getting two weeks off.

Liverpool or Manchester City fans however might be rather upset about an international break though, as both clubs are in admittedly sizzling form, and a long break usually only serves to cool off a hot streak. A lot of fans also worry about their players getting injured on international duty, which is also a valid concern. It’s definitely a controversial topic each year.

Anyway, it turns out Shaw and Rashford were completely unnecessary today, as England walloped Czech Republic in their first group match 5-0 to secure 3 points and a comfortable perch atop Group A. Man City forward Raheem Sterling, correctly voted Man of the Match, scored a hat-trick and also won a penalty which was converted by Tottenham striker Harry Kane. A Czech own-goal by Tomas Kalas sealed a perfect night in front of 82,500 people at Wembley Stadium in London. It was the first hat-trick at Wembley since 2014 and the first time the Three Lions have hit 5 at home since 2010.

It is true that the established veterans like Sterling and Kane got the goals, but England fielded a very youthful side today, all of whom played very well. Ben Chilwell (Leicester City), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Declan Rice (West Ham),  and Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea) all made important contributions, especially Hudson-Odoi and Sancho. It was gutsy of manager Gareth Southgate to give the start to Sancho, as there was no indication of how he would play as a full international. He’s had a great season in the Bundesliga and while he was a little shaky to start the match, he grew into the game beautifully and provided a perfect pass for Sterling’s first goal. Hudson-Odoi came on as a substitute and contributed to the 5th goal, when his stinging shot was parried by Czech keeper Jiri Pavlenka directly into the path of Kalas, who accidentally knocked it in.

But basically everyone played well today. The Czechs really only crafted 1-2 clear chances on goal, as England’s defense suffocated them. Jordan Pickford was largely un-bothered in goal but made the key saves when needed. I think England started a little too tentative, and I was concerned that having Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson playing side by side would slow England’s attack. Both are natural defensive midfielders and are more comfortable making tackles than making forward passes. Interestingly, England seemed to come to life after Dier went off injured and Ross Barkley came on for him. Henderson slid into the middle of the pitch and left Barkley push forward, which was exactly what England needed. Henderson was all over the pitch today in general, and if not for Sterling he’d be Man of the Match himself.

I figured that the Czechs would be England’s toughest group opponent, aside from maybe Bulgaria. That was just simply not the case though. They offered virtually nothing in attack and were woeful defensively as well. There is an element of “well, what if the Czechs are just bad, and England aren’t that good?” in my mind, but given the semi-final appearance in World Cup 2018 and heading for the semi-final in the Nations League, you have to feel that England are on the up-and-up for the first time in decades. The mood inside Wembley reflected that today, I think. The England supporters were in full-song for most of the match, and I remember thinking to myself that today was the loudest I had ever heard Wembley consistently be. We just might be good, and we are starting to collectively realize it.

What’s really incredible to me though is just how many naturally talented players England can call on these days. We have depth in the squad for the first time in my memory. We’ve always been able to fashion a decent starting XI, but the fact that we won 5-0 today WITHOUT several very good players is one of the best things about today. No Rashford, no Shaw, no Trent Alexander-Arnold, no Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kieran Trippier was an unused substitute, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is still recovering from injury. Our youth system is finally starting to churn out quality players, and we have a manager who knows how to use them. Also, much like during the World Cup, it is very clear these players are capable of putting club rivalries aside and believing in one another that they can win. Southgate deserves credit for this, along with the captain Kane.

The next match is away to Montenegro in Podgorica on Monday afternoon America-time. I imagine the match will present many challenges for England, as playing away during international matches is always difficult. For one, the stadium in Podgorica always has a boiling cauldron-like atmosphere. It will be very loud in there as Montenegrin fans are very passionate. Like, light-things-on-fire in the stadium passionate. In addition, the playing surface will perhaps not be the best, and England’s attacking tactics are very reliant on short and quick passes around the penalty box. Nothing against Montenegro or their stadium, it’s just difficult to grow natural grass in Eastern Europe this time of year. I also imagine they will employ the old “park the bus” routine by putting 9 or so outfield players in their own penalty box for 90 minutes and try to hold on for a draw. They will be difficult to break down, to say the least.

I still fancy England to win though, given the form Sterling is currently in and the wealth of talent we have in the squad. Southgate will also probably make some changes, as I feel Barkley has earned himself a start in midfield. If we can use our pace in attack effectively, I don’t think they’ll be able to keep up with us over the course of the match.

Come on England!

United Eliminated from the FA Cup

Wolverhampton Wanderers knocked Manchester United out of the FA Cup quarterfinals away to Molineaux yesterday afternoon. This was United’s first time losing consecutive matches under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tenure and to be honest I am feeling quite deflated still, even 24 hours later. I have had some time to think about it though, and I think I am ready to move past it. You have to take emotion out of the equation if you want to do a fair analysis, which is why I didn’t post this yesterday!

United lost 2-1, with nothing really happening until the last 20 minutes of the match. The first half was mostly just United banging their head against a brick wall over and over again, expecting to somehow break it. They kept playing the ball through the middle and it didn’t work time and time again. The play from the forwards was poor especially. They were disjointed in attack all day, and they made it easy for the Wolves defense to break up passes and clear chances away. Wolves were very well-drilled defensively and their manager Nuno deserves credit for having them ready. They’re a very good team and have taken points off of every team in the “Big 6” this season.

United conceded a very sloppy goal in the 70th minute after failing to clear the ball from the box. The shot was bungled in from midfielder Raul Jimenez after it bounced around and fell to him from about 8 yards out. Goalkeeper Sergio Romero probably could have done better to save the shot, but the defenders shouldn’t have allowed the shot in the first place. United’s centre-backs were probably more culpable.

Wolves got a second goal off a counter attack with more sloppy defending from United. Again Romero could have done better to get down and save the shot on his near post to save the shot from midfielder Diogo Jota, but really the fault again lies with the defense. United had men forward to press for the equalizer, and Wolves caught us out. Victor Lindelof in particular had a shocking 5 minutes. A multi-goal deficit with 15 minutes left away from home is usually a bad situation.

Marcus Rashford did get a late consolation goal after a nice run and cross from Luke Shaw down the left channel, but it was the proverbial too little too late. Wolves fully deserved this win and United will have to lick their wounds on the trip back to Manchester. The loss to Arsenal sucked because we didn’t deserve to lose. This one sucks because we completely deserved to lose. The whole of the team needs to take their share of the blame.

I think the main thing OGS got wrong today was his team selection. We had several usual starters returning from injury, and it was clear that OGS wanted to give them a run-out. I think that was a mistake. The game looked much too fast for Ander Herrera, and the same for Jessie Lingard. Anthony Martial looked completely lost going forward for much of the game too. One player who had no excuse was Nemanja Matic, given that he hasn’t been injured. I don’t think he should have been starting today. His pace has dropped off significantly since last season and I think should be played against teams with slower midfielders. Today’s game against Wolves’ quick midfielders screamed out for players like Andreas Peireira and Scott McTominay, two youthful players with more pace and energy. Starting them over still-returning Herrera and slow Matic may have made a much bigger difference.

Another player who should have been on the pitch today was Romelu Lukaku. Rashford is good but looks tired and needs a rest, and Lingard needs to be slowly re-introduced to first team action in order to be most effective in the long run. The Wolves defense was bossing us physically, and Big Rom would have made it a lot more difficult on them. OGS missed this opportunity as well and elected instead to play his favorite XI. Hopefully he learns from this that sometimes you need to tailor your team to play the opposition, instead of just playing the way you want to. I’m sure he will, as he has a great coaching staff around him and he will adjust.

While the opportunity to win a trophy is now gone, we need to look at all aspects of this. Many of the more unintelligent comments I’ve read on the internet are already saying OGS should not get the job next season, but I think all of that is incredibly premature. He’s worked wonders so far, and no manager, not even Alex Ferguson, wins every game.

Some positives: for one, we are now heading into an international break, which means some of the players will get some well-deserved rest. Another aspect of this is now we get to narrow our focus on two tournaments: the Premier League and the Champions League. Having fewer matches is somewhat of a good thing for us, as our squad is relatively thin by the standards of other top European clubs.

One big silver lining from today was that Chelsea lost their game in-hand away to Everton at Goodison Park. Everton have now taken points off Liverpool and Chelsea in the past month, and if United are to finish in the top-4, Everton will be a big reason why. Had Chelsea won today, they would have moved ahead of United into 5th going into the fortnight-long international break. The race for the top 4 remains as tight as ever, and looks like this (all teams have played 30 games):

Tottenham – 61 points

Arsenal – 60 points

Manchester United – 58 points

Chelsea – 57 points

Four points. That’s it. A scant four points separates spots 3-6. I have never seen the top-4 race this close this late in the season. Only two teams of the four listed will finish in 3rd and 4th, and with 8 games to go there’s all to play for. United only 2 off Arsenal and 3 off Tottenham.

United also get to look forward to a two-legged tie with Catalan giants Barcelona CF in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. The first match is at Old Trafford on April 10th and I personally am relishing the opportunity to take one of the best clubs (if not the best) in the world. A full preview will be coming in the days before the April 10th match-up.

The next blog post will be a transition to talking about England, as United do not play again until March 30th at home versus Watford. England however have qualifiers for Euro 2020 against Czech Repbulic and Montenegro, and will be looking to keep building on the good form they showed during the World Cup and Nations League.

Glory Glory Man United and Come On England!