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MUFCINFO.COM DEBATE |
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Did SAF get it wrong? Have your say
below...... |
Congratulations
to Burnley first and foremost, you deserved it.
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A few pints 1st |
Burnley
celebrated their 1st taste of top tier football at Turf Moor
in over 30 years with a victory over Manchester United
thanks to a blistering volley from Robbie Blake, the volley
was
matched only by
the heroics of Burnley's goalkeeper
Brian
Jensen who saved a penalty from Michael Carrick shortly
before half time.
SAF with numerous stars missing, fielded a strong side such
is the depth of United's squad and as the team news broke,
United supporters were more than happy with the presumed
4-4-2 of Carrick, Anderson central & a fresh Ji Sung Park
with Ryan Giggs taking up the left not unlike his last game
against Birmingham...or so we thought.
JOS & Evra played
in the fullback positions & Wes Brown was thrown into the
mix to play alongside Jonny Evans in the centre of defence
with Gary Neville as a surprise inclusion on the bench.
Nani & Darren
Fletcher were left out & Scholes, Valencia, Berbatov, Gibson
& De Laet & Kuszczak made up the bench.
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The View |
United
created a dangerous opening within a few minutes when Evra
beat Blake & crossed into the box, but Michael Owen failed
to make any connection at the near post.
Leaving gaps & failing to close down a spirited Burnley
side, Steven Fletcher capitalised on two occasions but
failed to trouble Foster especially on one occasion when his
attempt at a scissors kick forced the United fans to sing
"What the Fuc*ing hell was that".
Michael Carrick
then broke through on a probing run toward goal, but a heavy
touch let down the England midfielder, before a combination
of McCann & Jordan almost scored an own goal as their
combined tackle forced the ball close to Jensens far post.
Carrick from the
resulting corner saw a tame shot bounce over the bar as
United pressured.
A impressive
spell of passing & creative football was the result of
Burnley's opening goal as from a set piece on the centre
circle, United's defence was split in two when Elliot
threaded a pass to Martin
Paterson, through on goa,l only a great save by Ben Foster
denied the home side. Still pressuring United
Carrick &
O'Shea blocking & clearing crosses averted danger until
Patrice Evra on Burnley's third cross into the box instead
of heading into touch, headed a ball back into the United
penalty area not unlike
Mikael Silvestre , where a thankful Robbie Blake smashed
a thunderous volley past Ben Foster for 1-0.
United searched
for a reply but bad passes, decisions & poor shooting saw
United look flat & uncreative resulting in Wayne Rooney
dropping deep into midfield as he could sense a lack of
spark in his team.
Michael
Owen next found himself in a quality position, but was
guilty of a bad miss when Wes Brown had temporarily removed
his "Frankenstein Boots" after a pathetic display of passing
up until this point saw him place a brilliant cross on the
England hopefuls head, but Owen headed wide leaving many an
angry reaction in the away supporters section.
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Local newspaper sponsored good luck banner, that
worked |
Owen did
redeem himself shortly after when his side footed pass met
an onrushing Patrice Evra in the Burnley penalty area, the
French full back was then cut down in full flight by
goalscorer Blake and was awarded a penalty.
Much to the
surprise of many, especially when Rooney, Owen & Giggs were
on the field, up stepped Michael
Carrick, a rather reliable penalty taker when some though is
given to the matter, but he saw his penalty saved by Jensen
as Turf Moor went into raptures again.
United
huffed & puffed in the second half seeing a Ji Sung Park
shot blocked before SAF brought on Valencia for a
disappointing Anderson & Dimitar Berbatov on for Michael
Owen.
Burnley scared
United shortly after when Paterson turned Wes Brown inside
out only to see his cross unmet by any of his team mates as
the ball travelled across the box.
Berbatov's
inclusion gave United a injection as the Bulgarian kept
possession & linked well, before curling a shot wide from
outside the box. He (Berbatov) continued with good
play as he teed up JSP, but the Koreans shot was save easily
by
Brian Jensen and United were gaining momentum.
A fantastic
probing run from Ryan Giggs coupled with an even better
weighted pass from Wayne Rooney almost gave United the lead
but once again ala Joe Hart in our last match for
Birmingham, the opposition's goalkeeper played a MOTM
performance as the Giggs shot smacked the big Dane in the
chin and away from danger.
Another class
pass from Rooney but more class goalkeeping from the Beast
came next as he blocked a Berbatov goalbound effort as
United still searched for a breakthrough.
Increasing his
influence on the game & his frustration, Rooney dropped
deeper to collect the ball & once again sent a dangerous
ball across the goalmouth with no one in touching distance,
Ryan Giggs gathered the ball wide on the left & sent in a
cross which Berbatov tamely headed straight at Jensen.
United's last
effort of the day was another dubious header effort by
Patrice Evra
when through on goal he met a
high cross & put his effort miles wide.
A hell of lot is
usually made of a Manchester United defeat, some call it a
crisis, toothless without Ronaldo several journalistic
reports will say, Owen's a waste of money, we need to sign a
big name signing say other fans, however the one thing about
this defeat that sticks in your editors throat is the
unfathomable reason why after a successful pre season
playing a 4-4-2 against some quality teams and the "bigging
up" of the tactic, why did SAF switch back to sort of a
4-3-3?, Why was Anderson employed on the left?
This gave myself
& many others I have spoken to, the impression that Burnley
were taken too lightly and SAF was experimenting.
The tactics just
didn't work despite a glut of chances & no luck in the box
with the run of the ball, I would very much indeed be
worried if we didn't create chances, but we did & enough to
win the game at that.
A big up to
Anything to say,
apart from your reporter getting lost going home to Cumbria .....your
thoughts please. |
Article by Mark Graham, Editor, Record Keeper & Official
Reporter @ MUFCINFO.COM.
Blake (19 mins).
