Adam Dennehey WAFU manager
Galatasaray arrived at Old Trafford today, top of the Turkish league after 4 games and fresh from winning 4-0 last weekend, sounds vaguely familiar to United fans as we prepare for a campaign that we now know will define our season and determine our transfer budget for next summer.
$12.58 a share, revenue falling and a market valuation that see’s investors taking money out of the Club by short selling, sets the new normal.
When would a blogger ever have discussed United in terms of share value before this time in our history?
The potential duo of Johan Elmander and Milan Baros could give us an ex-NW strike force to consider, and the team we face are no pushover in Europe, but equally are no match for the very best teams in the competition.
Entering this game only one result is acceptable, a resounding win, to set us on the way to the 10 points we will likely need to qualify from our group.
Pre-game news about the brotherhood approach to the Liverpool game and the death of 2 young women Police Officers in Manchester, frames a perspective that puts football into its place as a source of entertainment.
Ironically echoing the famous words of Bill Shankley in that football is more important than life or death, we know it is not, and nobody watching this game could help but remember that fact. No question that this game came at a time when prayer is more important than chanting and the atmosphere reflected the mood of the time, Old Trafford was muted, and rightly so.
The first half showed us many things. Our fullbacks were poor – yet again. Patrice Evra putting Nemanja Vidic in trouble which should have seen the Turks awarded a penalty then Michael Carrick should have conceded another late in the half. Rafael was continually caught out of position and so Jonny Evans and Vidic were exposed more and more on the break, as Paul Scholes proved 2 games in a week is too much for him.
Nani is no Cristinao Ronaldo, and Antonio Valencia creates then wastes. Kagawa and Robin were largely anonymous.
Carrick gave some measure of control in midfield and only our right wing provided danger.
As the half ended the stats stacked up in Galatasary’s favour, with both shots and possession numbers showing we were not controlling the game.
This season we have started badly regularly and got worse as the first half went on, that was Southampton then Wigan and it’s a worry. The game was so much below the Real Madrid vs Manchester City game it wasn’t funny. Sir Alex Ferguson must have roasted the team at the break despite the lead, it was not United at its best, far from it.
United started the second period knowing that performance for a place in the Liverpool game was on the line.
Barley five minutes into the second half Nani showed the lack of conviction in his game with one of the worst penalty misses I have ever seen. This followed him picking up the ball in open play to concede a free kick when in possession. What was he thinking?
After Galatasaray hit the woodwork for the third time, United hit a new low point in the game.
One hour into the game our first attack behind their right back by Evra occurred, and that fullback is Emmanuel Eboue, the player so vilified at Arsenal.
It got worse as Galatasaray broke on a Nani dive in the box, and only 2 great saves from David De Gea prevented an away goal. 70 minutes and the game was again slipping out of our control.
At 78 minutes the return of Darren Fletcher brought a huge cheer as Scholes was rested, and United tried to get some energy into midfield, assisted by Robin Van Persie diving into tackles before being subbed off after a poor performance, in line with the team.
Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez, the Wigan starting strike force reunited, and despite Rafael, Evra and Carrick trying to play them in on our goal, the United goal continued to live its charmed life.
As the game ticked down to the 90th minute, the muted crowd trooped off while Eboue left the Turkish side with 10 men and Sir Alex glanced continuously at his watch wishing away the 5 minutes of added time.
Chicarito’s second poor miss, in added time preceded a third solid penalty shout against Evans before our little Mexican blazed his best chance of the night into Row Z.
The game ended with victory but the pendulum has swung, this was not vintage United, this is 2012 Vintage United. The label is the same but the team is corked and lacks the fizz needed to make it worth the money.
This was not value for money, for the Glazers or the fans. We expect much better. Liverpool must have smiled inside.
By Steve Burrows CBE @ifollowsteve
