Manchester United almost started too well in the big FA Cup game against Chelsea on Sunday. With nearly 80 minutes left on the clock they found themselves 2 goals up thanks to Chicharito and Wayne Rooney. But, for the remainder of the first half and most of the second, they lacked ideas.
After the second goal went in Chelsea were on the rack. There for the taking. But Manchester United got so sloppy with their passing that you would be forgiven for thinking, at times, that you were witnessing a relegation scrap in The Championship.
Coach Sir Alex Ferguson cited fatigue as a reason for their demise. After the massive disappointment of Champions League elimination in the week Fergie told reporters:
“We’re lucky to be in the cup. We just ran out of legs and Chelsea were far the better team in the second half,”
“The two full-backs, Rafael and Patrice, are knackered and the two central midfielders tired badly. We kept giving the ball away and it made it a long day for us, going from one penalty box and back to our own.”
It’s true that some looked tired but, worryingly for Manchester United fans, the malaise wasn’t restricted to the players that Sir Alex Ferguson referenced. Carrick actually put in a decent shift, but Cleverley gave the ball away countless times, in what was one of his worst games for Manchester United. Before he got injured Nani wasted the ball pretty much every time that he got it and his replacement, Antonio Valencia, fared little better. The Ecuadorian is almost unrecognisable from the player who terrorised defences for two years at Old Trafford and this protracted period of awful form is seriously jeopardising his career at Manchester United. Valencia seems utterly bereft of confidence.
On the left Shinji Kagawa was anonymous. He didn’t play in the week so he can’t complain of fatigue. And, up front, Wayne Rooney wasn’t at his sharpest either. Furthermore, with no goals in 5, substitute RvP is also having a big dip. He just doesn’t look all that dangerous at the moment.
With such a huge and impressive squad fatigue shouldn’t be an issue. In essence it seems as if the Real Madrid defeat has had a more enduring effect on the Manchester United players than Fergie would have liked. Despite the shock at their Champions League exit, the idea of winning their first domestic double in a decade should provide more than enough motivation for the team. But this side seems to have lost it’s spark of late and they will need to find it some momentum fast if they are to provide competition for Chelsea in the FA Cup replay.
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danny
Mar 11, 2013 at 7:04 pm
i think it goes further than just fatigue….i think in 2 very important homes games our lack of genuine quality as been shown up………united just dont seem to be able to play well for 90 minutes…and have largely succeeded due to RVPs goals…..its no coincedence that as RVP has the mini drought he is on our results have got worse…….the fact is this united side is an efficient squad but not a great starting 11…and against top opposition we look limited……..our wingers are awful…………..cleverlys OK but he isnt a world beater……..the most hyped player in the history of mankind danny wellbeck has scored a whopping 2 goals in an entire season and yet has been praised more than maradona in his prime…the fact is RVP has carried us and is now tired……so wheres the others to share the goals?? fergie clearly doesnt rate chica and will only play him at home in cup games….wellbeck gets out scored by defenders…….rooney while being one of our few classs players looks like a 45 year old brickie which a fondness for KFC……the inconvenient truth is we just arnt that good…..we are efficient..we have a great team ethic……a great manager…everything city and chelsea dont have……however in 2 of our proper tests in the last 7 days we have fallen short in 2 home ties…….we seem to go into stroll mode at 2-0 as well…..this as happened a lot in recent years…..2-0 coasting…a lack of concentration let the other team back in and its backs to the wall….liverpool at home a recent example..we shouldda been out of sight and ended up hanging on……and there i think lies the problem…this current team isnt ruthless like previous teams…..if that was the 99 team on sunday i can imagine keane ranting at the players at 2-0 to finish the job while chelsea wobbled….and chelsea were there for the taking………instead we sat off bereft of a leader and let chelsea regain there composure…….and i think thats the problem…….a great boxer KOs his opponent when they are wobbling………a good one lets him back in because he hesitates or loses focus…and thats what united are…good…not great…….the best of a pretty mediocre bunch