Can AVB handle this job?
Firstly, it was a fantastic game and both managers encouraged that with their attack minded tactics. Chelsea are certainly more interesting to watch under their young Portuguese coach but most Chelsea fans would probably argue that they are also a worse side than last season. Even at 3-0 up Chelsea looked wide open at the back and didn’t seem to have much understanding of what to do next. So they kept attacking and the tempo of the game remained high, which played perfectly into Manchester United’s hands. To me, AVB simply looks out of his depth. He doesn’t look as if he can affect the outcome of games at the moment. Whether he will be given time to grow into the job noone yet knows – but he does have a long way to go before he can be comfortable in his position. For the first time on Sunday he looked close to snapping in the post match interviews.
Is Rio in terminal decline?
Whichever team you support you must, at some stage, have marvelled at the Rolls-Royce defending of Rio Ferdinand. In his pomp he had the touch of a striker, the speed of a sprinter and and composure of a yogi. The greatest compliment that you can pay him is that he made it all look so easy. Forget Vidic, Ferdinand has been the bedrock of Manchester United’s success for the last decade, but his body no longer looks as if it can cash the cheques that his brain is writing. Whereas Ryan Giggs still has the mobility to put all his experience into devastating practice on the pitch, Rio sadly looks as if he may never regain the physical prowess of his prime. He will still be a decent member of the Manchester United squad for a couple of years perhaps. But the protracted period when you could put him up against any strikeforce in the world with great confidence has gone. His performance against Chelsea was made to look more shakey because of his very average partner Jonny Evans, who will surely not command a first team place for much longer. But Rio too has to take responsibility for some soft goals against Chelsea.
Should Mata come inside?
He scored a truly exceptional goal to make it 2-0 and put, what most thought, was the final nail in Manchester United’s title coffin with a superbly lofted free-kick minutes later. But Juan Mata looks under employed on the wing. On current form he is surely Chelsea’s best player and he’s right up there with the best in terms of skill. Mata should have been played more centrally to affect the game in the same sort of way that Scholes did when he came on . Chelsea needed someone in there to hold onto the ball, keep possession and control the tempo of the game. Bringing Mata into the middle could also be the key to an improvement in the form of Fernando Torres. AVB should at least give it a go.
Welbeck or Chicharito?
Danny Welbeck has been given the nod for most of this season after Chicharito took all the plaudits last year. Welbeck is fluid, lithe and lively but if Hernandez had been on top form this year, the young Mancunian probably wouldn’t have had so many chances. The first touch of the Mexican hasn’t been so good this season but he looks to be playing himself back into form and made a crucial contribution on Sunday. I think that he will end the season as the first choice partner to Wayne Rooney once more. But Welbeck will undoubtedly have something to say about that.
Defining moments for both teams?
If Manchester United had lost this game the spirits would have dropped and, with more difficult fixtures coming up, many United fans (if not the team themselves) would be throwing in the title towel for this season. If United have arguably lost some of their quality, the manner of the comeback against Chelsea demonstrated that they have lost none of their team spirit. The term ‘never say die’ was surely invented for Manchester United. By contrast, this result could have devastating consequences for Chelsea. AVB just couldn’t stem the tide or strategically affect the game to consolidate on what Chelsea had. They should never have drawn this game from 3-0 up and questions will continue to be asked about the fledgling manager until Chelsea regain the look of solidity which we have all come to expect from them.
