The Return of an Old Friend: Manchester United 4 - Norwich City 0 -- Game Recap and Player Ratings

photo by ssoosay	via PhotoRee

Ryan Giggs demanded passion, bravery, tempo, speed and imagination on his managerial debut, and despite a slow start, saw his requirements more than fulfilled in an easy 4-0 victory over Norwich City at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.  Putting more shots on target than in any Premier League game this season, United offered a rousing second half performace and gave their home fans a clean and direct break from the David Moyes era with their most decisive victory of the season.  Playing football as if it were fun again, the United players rode braces from Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata to treat the home crowd to a fun-filled evening -- a feeling akin to the return of an old friend.   

Herewith, the individual player ratings from a game that felt like the dawn of a new era at Old Trafford:

De Gea: Virtually nothing to do before the break. Showed outstanding distribution skills afterward and, as usual, was there when called upon. 7.5

Jones: Almost found Kagawa with a first half cross. Never under pressure. 7.5

Vidic (c): Calm, cool and collected. 7.5

Ferdinand: Rolled back the years. 7.0

Evra: Ventured forward plenty. 7.5

Valencia: First three crosses hit the defender but he showed he isn't afraid to shoot.  Worked his way into the game.  7.0

Carrick:  This was better.  7.5

Cleverley: His game continues to go downhill and now appears beyond repair. 6.0

Nervy at Norwich (But Scott Believes)

photo by Rob!	via PhotoRee

 

Scott looks back on the capper to a pretty good week for Liverpool....

 

A comfortable 2 goal lead at Carrow Road, within 10 minutes of the start, later evaporated and steamed to a pressure-cooker finish for the second week in a row. If I never again see another Liverpool player take the ball to the corner flag, it will be too soon.  The Reds held on, and maybe should have extended their lead, but due credit must be given to the Canaries who never gave up and, instead, gave their visitors cause for worry for much of the game after the initial carnage.

Raheem Sterling was, again, sterling. His first strike from distance was the kind that moves you among the elite of the game. His assist to Luis Suarez soon after was served on a silver platter, even if his winner in the second half was gilded with a lucky deflection. Still, his ability to turn and penetrate on the dribble wreaks havoc whether he is involved in a score or not and this prodigious 19-year-old has legend-in-the-making written all over him, if he stays healthy and is managed well.

Of course, it wasn't all smiles and sunshine, despite the indulging weather.  A miscue by Simon Mignolet, who has proven repeatedly shaky when coming off his line for high crosses, led directly to the first goal. Although, credit must be given for successive successful punches in the waning minutes.  Jon Flanagan had his nice moments but picked up a silly yellow for trying to delay a throw in, before staying firmly planted on the ground whilst Robert Snodgrass leapt for a Norwich second.  Glen Johnson had a couple give-aways, as did Lucas Leiva, and Mamadou Sakho has to be the scariest player out there with the ball at his feet and every opposing player seems to be aware of his propensity to get rattled.

But, in the end, as has been pointed out by others, scoring 3 goals per game will paper over some imperfections. Importantly, as imperfect of a team as they are, they are a team and playing like one in every sense of the word.  The fact that collective victory is valued above individual accomplishment was no better illustrated than when Suarez had only the ‘keeper to beat but opted to pass to a better-positioned Lucas rather than go for the goal that would have lifted him to the heights of Cristiano Ronaldo and Alan Shearer who are tied for most goals in a Premier League season (31).

Rinse, Wash, Repeat: Everton 2 - Manchester United 0

photo by Brett Jordan	via PhotoRee

Failing to be entertained by the football, I composed several haikus to honor the way David Moyes and his staff have managed to hamper Shinji Kagawa this season -- among other criminal acts he's committed against our club:

Uninspired game plans

"Trying" to "stop" opponents

We've become Everton

*****

Slow and uninspired

Like molasses on the ball

How's it come to this?

*****

Can't beat his old club

Not City nor Liverpool

Show him the door, please

*****

Danny and Ryan fret

For our beloved club's future

While "Top Reds" stay firm

*****

Our "Chosen One" is

So far over his head it's 

Not even funny

The Best et al: Ed Ponders Liverpool vs. Man City and the Champions League Semi-finals

photo by thelastminute	via PhotoRee

Ed certainly believes he is one of the best:

Liverpool vs. Man City:  Liverpool vs. Manchester City was certainly the game of the year.  Exciting end-to-end action prevailed.  Each side took and had chances to win it, but it was Liverpool that executed (or got lucky?) when it mattered and took the three points.  Two referee mistakes were notable.  The first, when Suarez clearly dived, should've been a second yellow for the Uruguayan.  The second, when Suarez was clearly shoved (two-handed like) by a beaten Vincent Kompany, should've been a penalty kick.  Perhaps these balance each other out.  Only a visit to parallel dimensions could solve this.

--  Louis Suarez is No. 1?:  While it is true that various players had terrific games for Liverpool -- notably Coutinho and Sterling -- one cannot overlook Suarez's impact.  He was credited with an assist, his passing was outstanding, and his tenacious play constantly had City's defensemen on their heels.  Suarez manner of dribbling is astonishingly direct; he attacks left and right with his head down and body crouched in a position of leverage, and he merely thrusts the ball left or right and accelerates past.  He is also, to his credit, undeterred by failure.  This is similar to Messi, as each more frequently than most people realize simply get the ball taken from them when they surge forward.  That said, in light of the number of goals he's had in the BPL despite missing the first ten games (29 in 29 appearances), as well as the number of assists (12) and overall influence, it's time to put aside his petulant and erratic behavior and recognize that he is undeniably one of the best players in the world.  What I mean by this, is in 2014 he arguably is the best player in the world.  Really.

-- Everton's Run:  Unfortunately, even though Everton can take fourth if they win out, it looks more likely that Arsenal will do so given Arsenal's pathetic schedule through the end of the year.  Recall that this is what Arsenal does:  they start out the season strong, they start to slip in the middle, and they collapse at the end, but somehow, someway, they creep their way into the Champions League in the most uninspiring manner possible.  I suppose that's good coaching.  I just don't know, because it's painful to watch.  Everton, should they make it, will be so fired up it won't matter who they play.  Arsenal will simply be itself, and crumble at the first sight of a decent team.

Four More Games: Liverpool 3 - Manchester City 2

Fans of Manchester United read no further -- you have been warned. Scott's team is on a roll:

Spent.  That is the only way to describe how I felt at the end of Liverpool’s laborious and lucky win over Manchester City last Sunday.  Having started the match so fresh and optimistic, I soon eased back to enjoy the 2-0 lead with my children, all of us rocking our Reds gear.  Soon punished for my premature comfort, it was not long before I literally took off what was clearly not a lucky Liverpool shirt.  We’ll never know if my sartorial rectification influenced the universe and the ultimate result, but I can say, with some conviction, that those Bud Light superstition commercials are spot on – it’s only weird if it doesn’t work.

The tone of the day was set even before kickoff.  Minutes of high-decibel singing/screaming of You’ll Never Walk Alone were followed by a poignant, incredibly silent single minute of respect to remember the 96 who died in the Hillsborough disaster.  The juxtaposition of those minutes was an audible underscore of the respect we have for this sport and for those who passionately follow it.

This game, like most others, was not short on controversy.  After picking up a deserved yellow in the 3^rd minute for a rash challenge (even if only minimal contact was made), Luis Suarez should have received a second yellow later on.  My relief at Mark Clattenburg’s leniency was tinged with the shame that Suarez should have felt and the heavy disappointment that comes with a backslide in behavior.  I really thought the Uruguayan was beyond this crap and hope this was a one-time relapse.

Liverpool, and Raheem Sterling in particular, were excellent during the first half.  The 19-year-old’s composure to feint left before going right to score was extraordinary.  The Reds were lethal on corners with Captain Fantastic only kept off the score sheet by Joe Hart’s amazing reaction save.  But then Gerrard supplied Martin Skrtl who flicked to the far post.  The only surprise was that they were only up by 2 before Manchester City finally found their way into the game.

The David Moyes Experiment: Bayern Munich 3 - Manchester United 1

photo by UC Davis College of Engineering	via PhotoRee

The David Moyes experiment rolled on, lowering expectations across the globe, and convincing a vast majority of Manchester United fans that having 20 percent of the ball and only the barest of opportunities to score with it somehow showed progress in a season full of reverses.  Its chief adherent seemingly believing in minimalist football as the way forward, Moyes managed to pull the wool over the eyes of a large number of United supporters, many of whom now appear content to blame the players for their repeated failures and vastly reduced horizons -- a world where "trying" is the moral equivalent of winning, and a game in which opponents are hoped to be "contained" rather than nails to be hammered down.

The latest chapter in the experiment saw United fans flush with success at a 0-0 halftime draw, on the heels of a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford eight nights ago, even though their team had only recorded a single shot taken in anger on the opposition goal in their latest endeavor.  Pulses were further raised when Patrice Evra lasered an unstoppable shot into the upper corner of the goal to hand his side a 1-0 lead on the evening, 2-1 on aggregate -- a lead that lasted a bare 23 seconds before Mario Mandzukic, playing Lucy to Moyes' Charlie Brown, snatched the ball and the lead with a stunningly quick equalizer.  Not content to sit on their goal, Bayern added two more in relatively quick succession, as the United end was swarmed by the home side in the contest's last half hour.  Not wanting to appear rattled, Moyes waited until the game's 75th minute to work his Plan B, bringing on Chicharito and later young Adnan Januzaj, the latter after Bayern had put the contest's final result beyond any doubt.

If the Moyes' experiement is ended soon, he can be satisfied he went down being loyal to those who got him here: an injured Wayne Rooney being Exhibit A.  Clearly showing the effects of a recent layoff and a painkiller shot in his foot, the Englishman was a ghost of his best self tonight, squandering some of the few half-opportunities his side were able to scratch out.  Yet he remained on the pitch, limp aside, for the full 90 minutes, as both Darren Fletcher and a pacy Danny Welbeck were sacrificed.

While many are quick to criticize the players, and some of them rightfully so, it is this author's belief that the effort put forth tonight is the best the manager is capable of coaxing out of his squad -- a group of people who -- unlike many sheep-ish fans -- largely stopped  believing in him a long time ago.  And without a head a body is -- what?  A corpse.

It's time to face facts: 7th in the League, and out of all competitions in record time.  The man is just not good enough for this team.  David Moyes needs to go, and the sooner the better, so the club can begin to rebuild after the appalling disaster in which this experiment has resulted.

All Too Easy: Manchester United 4 - Newcastle United 0 -- Game Recapand Player Ratings

Juan Mata ran the show as Manchester United scored four goals for the second week running and cruised to a 4–0 victory over Newcastle United at St. James Park on Saturday afternoon. Mata scored two goals himself, and was complemented in his offensive efforts by the oft-ignored combination of Shinji Kagawa and Javier Hernandez. Overcoming a tedious first half in which Mata's stunning free kick was the solitary moment of sheer brilliance, the visitors scored three times from the run of play in the second half to turn a tight game into an all-too-easy victory over the struggling home side. 

Defensively, Anders Lindegaard did well to gain a shut out in his first League action of the season, denying Newcastle striker Papis Cisse on three separate occasions, and Phil Jones and Chris Smalling did just enough to keep Newcastle's other players off kilter despite a few shaky moments. The victory kept the Reds' small burst of momentum alive heading into the mid-week Champions League clash in Munich, although in retrospect the game will be viewed as relatively meaningless for both sides at this point in the season. Herewith the individual player ratings on a rare comfortable win:

Lindegaard: Did well to deny Cisse both before and after the break. 7.0

Valencia: Guilty of too many turnovers while playing out of position. 6.5

Jones: Needs to work on his distribution from the back, but generally a solid effort. 6.5

Smalling: Bedeviled by poor clearances. 6.5

Evra: Easily beaten, yet again. Rested near the hour mark. 6.0

Fletcher: Protected the back four well. 6.5

Fellaini: Most dirty players are loved by their own fans. Fellaini looks the odd exception. 5.0

Young: Decent crossing before being forced off after 15 minutes. N/A

A Parting Gift? Manchester United 1 - Bayern Munich 1: Game Recap and Player Ratings

photo by sun dazed	via PhotoRee

Defying the critics at home and abroad, Manchester United played a rope-a-dope first half before showing more of their teeth after the break in a 1-1 Champions League draw at Old Trafford Wednesday night.  Fully embracing what could be the club's last European contest for quite some time, the hosts withstood a brutal frontal assault from their German visitors in the first half, with the Munich holding nearly 80% of the possession prior to the interval.  Nevertheless, it was the home side in the form of Danny Welbeck who missed the best chance of the half to go in front prior to the halftime whistle.

 

After the break was a completely different story, with both teams taking turns attacking the others' goal, and real chances were created at both ends.  United Captain Nemanja Vidic was the first to find the net, with his unmarked header gifting his club an unexpected 1-0 lead.  As should have been expected, however, Bayern fought back to tie the contest through a finely worked play that ended with Bastian Schweinsteiger putting the ball into David De Gea's goal. 

 

Although neither side will be disappointed with the outcome, in general the Germans will be pleased to have scored their away goal, a tally which leaves United needing to score on their trip to the Allianz Arena in a little over a week's time.  The surly nature of the contest was underscored by the  high number of rough tackles, yellow cards and a final red for the Bayern goalscorer, which will mark him as ineligible for the return leg.

 

Herewith, the individual player ratings from a spirited night at Old Trafford:

 

De Gea: Pinpoint clearance and a fine save to deny Ribery before the break.  7.5

Jones: Filled in at right back and was there when he needed to be. 7.5

Ferdinand: Was right in the mix tonight.  Looked like the old days.  7.5

Vidic: Looked nervy at the outset but gradually settled. He may have been unguarded, but it was still a clutch header from a very tough position to give his side the second half lead. 8.0 

Büttner: Appeared overmatched right from the get go, but gradually settled down and played his way into the match. Should be renamed Hoofner. 7.0

Valencia: Early yellow and lucky to stay on the pitch after a bone crunching second half tackle. Moved to right back to accommodate Ashley Young with 15 minutes left. 7.0

Carrick: Decent distribution when he was able to touch the ball. Forced to stay way back for most of the night. 7.0

Fellaini: Just not good enough to play in a holding role. Gifted the ball repeatedly to the visitors and lost his man for the Bayern equalizer. 6.0