Adam Dennehey WAFU manager
You know, the writing was on the wall. It was akin to a Bollywood script (i.e. on expected lines). And the end was as it always is, Manchester United beating Aston Villa.
Let us now see the five major talking points of this game:
1) Defensive Frailties: United, as they have been for large parts of this season, were absolutely abysmal in their defending. Villa played very well in the opening half and kept testing United’s rearguard.
And they took the lead courtesy of Chris Smalling getting shrugged off like he never existed by Christian Benteke and Andreas Weimann slamming the ball past a hapless David De Gea. Weimann would go score the second goal in the second half and he would’ve got a third had he placed his header either side of the keeper.
Villa took full advantage of United`s god-awful defending. Rio Ferdinand, in my opinion, was the only decent performer today. Rafael assisted yet again but was suspect defensively. Smalling was clearly under pressure and he needs games to become better. He was way below par today. Patrice Evra has been bad for two seasons running so I won’t say anything more.
2) Chicharito: What a season Javier Hernandez is having. United`s decision to keep him away from the Olympics paid dividends as he came off the bench and single-handedly delivered the three points for his side. He deserves all the accolades bestowed on him after such a magnificent performance. You knew in your heart that he would pop up and score the goals. And he did. Once United got to 2-2 (wasn’t it invariable?!). It was a question of when they’d go on and win it. And Chicharito diverted Robin van Persie’s free kick expertly past Brad Guzan.
The little Mexican has had a slow start to the season and there were big question marks over how he would fit in and get games now that United had Batman (Wayne Rooney) and Robin. But his performance today and over the past month has shown (to the delight of the United faithful) that he will rise to the challenge time and again.
3) Unlucky Lambert: Paul Lambert will be a distraught man. His team was clearly on top for much of the game and deservedly raced to a 2-goal lead by the 51st minute. They hassled United’s players and didn’t allow them to impose their will on the match. All the players put in a good shift and should justifiably be saying that they are turning the corner in their season.
Darren Bent might be out but Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor continued their fine form and gave the United defenders a torrid time. Benteke held up the ball very well whenever he had it and gave a good showing today. Agbonlahor didn’t score but gave Evra a nightmare with his pace. He beat Evra time and again and was unlucky to be on the losing side.
4) Sir Alex Ferguson’s Decisive Decisions: With United going into the break 1-0 down, Sir Alex decided to haul off Villa old boy Ashley Young and bring Chicharito on with Rooney going out wide on the left side. We all know how that decision turned out!
Chicharito went on to give United all three points with typical goals. Sir Alex took off Paul Scholes when the ginger prince was tiring and replaced him with the fresh and energetic Tom Cleverley. With Rooney getting a knock in the 78th minute, Sir Alex acted quickly and brought Anderson on. Cleverley moved wide left now. Anderson’s driving runs through the middle would be a handful for the tiring Villa players.
5) United’s Indomitable Spirit: It is a common occurrence now. United fall behind, they level and then go on and win it. In 5 of their last 7 EPL games, they’ve fallen behind and gone on to win the match. It’s almost as if the players tell the opposition `score how many you can before we come to the party`.
United have had 15 different goal scorers this season and the way in which the strikers are going, all four of them will be easily in double figures come the end of the season. RVP was the talk of the town not long ago and recently it’s been Chicharito. Names may change but the desire to win never goes. That’s Manchester United for you.
By Yashasvee Prasad @yash647
It was a good game game, shame about your so called support ….. a few morons shouting out during the minutes silence for the fallen of the armed forces then more ville abuse and disrespect for our customary 19th minute applause for Petrov ….. and you have the face to moan about other fans mocking of Munich ???? disgrace, you may be the biggest and best club in England, but your support is the lowest of the low.