If money is the disease afflicting football then this was the week when the symptoms seemed to turn terminal. With the World Cup now promised to oil rich nations until my children finish school I now return to club football to get my kicks. FIFA are certainly just a vessel for Sepp Blatter’s powerplays and I wondered on the way to Old Trafford if UEFA were any different.
This game was worth a few quid to the Champion’s League, various television companies and the clubs. The fans were less than enthralled. The stadium wasn’t full. It felt at kick off as though the entire sport were coughing and hacking its way to an inglorious end. Then a game of football broke out.
A bit of a dank first half was followed by a robust reminder of what a robust beast this sport is. Not for the first time this year, United needed to go behind before they remembered how to play. Carrick can accept the blame for their goal on account of his dithering in the middle of the pitch.
Rooney’s industry throughout counterbalanced that nicely and some real dynamism entered our play when he was involved. Were it not for the crossbar he would have had the goal his efforts deserved. In much the same way that financial pheromones seduced the World Cup, Rooney’s head was turned recently by riches elsewhere. He has stayed though, and that makes all the difference.
However, it was Anderson who impressed me the most in this match. With him and Nani coming on as they are, I am allowing myself to be optimistic about what is to come. Not least because we won’t be facing the Barcelona crushing machine in the next round.
Monday sees Arsenal and myself head to Old Trafford for the big match, presumably hoping for different outcomes. You would hope the crowd can put in more effort than they did on this cold Tuesday night. As far as this season goes, there is life in the old dog yet.
Follow Mark on twitter.com/markjpayne
Comments
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Posted by zahid on 12/08/2010
i wished man utd wud lose to valencia and play against real madrid in the next round.wat a game it would have been!!
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Posted by tom reago on 12/08/2010
i thought anderson had a good game, i still feel though united need a good holding midfielder and not getting one in January could cost them the title...anderson is not supposed to be protecting the back four but rather attacking the back four on the other end. carrick's best days are behind him and the earlier united realise that the better, if nothing is done in January abt that midfield i dont think united will go past the next round regardless of the opposition.
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Posted by TheJepit on 12/08/2010
Mark,
It is good to see that Anderson is hitting form so that we don't have to over dependent on Scholes.
I still don't like Rooney though.
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Posted by bryan on 12/08/2010
Anderson's a joy to watch nowadays. Let's just hope he keeps it up.
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Posted by red on 12/08/2010
Really, mu deserved the draw. As, mu has many chances as berbatov shot was blocked or saved. Anderson saved mu from battling europe giants. Their only main threat is that they may drawn against inter or ac milan. Rooney also regaining form after the match. I hope he can sparkle against Arsenal.
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Posted by Patrice-Kigali on 12/08/2010
Mark! I can't say better what i think than how tom reago(above)did.
A holding midfielder is needed. A younger Ghananian called Annan would work for us and i think is available at a fair cost.
Anderson is good but attacking and defending tires him very fast.
Carrick is a good passer but quick decisions and turning have turned him into an average player.
Berba should know that rounding off the keeper are just NOT meant for him and instead should immediately shoot whenever an opportunity surfaces.
Anderson, Rooney and Park were a pride to watch.
Normally, Smalling is calm and composed on the ball(Much to the advantage of partner, Vidic)but he looked nervous last night!! I wish it doesn't happen again as I have a very strong liking for him when he plays (Skillful player).
The life is surely coming back.
United 4ever.
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Posted by Tallahassee Florida Man on 12/08/2010
I didn't expect any more from this game than what we got. We needed a draw, and we played like that. I think that explains the light and fluffy crowd. Typical Berbatov, he seldom scores when we actually need it. And you see why Carrick is a B-teamer with the national side now. Agreed though, Nani and Anderson are coming on. And while they're young and sometimes reckless, I like what I see in the Brazilian twins. They are going to be dynamite in short time. We can't forget in all this though, if Antonio Valencia is out there, Rooney scores a goal 2/3rds of those games, because Valencia will get him the ball in scoring spots.
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Posted by valentine on 12/08/2010
Yes, Anderson played well but lets not get carried away. He showed potential not ability... there is still quite a long way to go for him.
The Twins are a treasure. The shear dedication, blood, sweat and tears they leave on the pitch is absolutely incredible. Hope they develop even more.
Agreed with Fifa, its sad how its not about the best big but the richest crook.
P.S- thanx 4 the quick write-up
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Posted by Danny on 12/08/2010
I thought it was a tough mid field battle that United could have dominated. Every creative mid gave the ball away at some point, the difference for me is the hustle that Ando showed when he lost possession. I hope to see him and Fletch dominating the games for a long time.
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Posted by Ryan on 12/08/2010
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Posted by sammi giggs on 12/08/2010
hey, I saw the game, we deserved to win but for Barbas indecisiveness, what happened to his killer instinct, we cannot live on flair but on goals, Rooney is getting back his confidence and the twins are proving their worth. the gaffers confidence in barbatov is sometimes boggling, I expected to see the little pea but it didn't happen, we played a good game though we eased the foot off the peddle which saw us leaving on dangerous ground
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Posted by Tom on 12/08/2010
We do not need ANY MORE HOLDING MIDFIELDERS!! Carrick is servicable at best I agree. But Scholes is still here for the year, maybe next and lets not forget about Fletcher, who when he is in Anderson will not have to defend as much, and lets also not forget the YOUNG Irish international Gibson. Holding midfielders, no thanks. One new attacking mid, and world class GK sound good to me.
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Posted by Melchor Ferrer on 12/11/2010
I believe that MU needed should give more time to Hernadez
Posted by Donavan on 12/11/2010
Rooney is not a bad player he give chance to man u player . but if united keep on gives rooney chance rooney will score more goal . I love nani playing style .Nani must learn more ronaldo style to improve his football .I also like hernandez man u must make more chance for hernandez .
Posted by emmanuel on 12/20/2010
manchester united are the best team in the world and in EPL. i hope to play for the club i am 13 and i want to be the next christiano ronaldo. i love man utd.
Posted by david ontita on 01/26/2011
man united is the best team in the world so far and sir alex is exellent.
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Mark Payne writes about football for a variety of media outlets. He reported on the 2010 World Cup for Australia’s ABC network and worked at one of the FIFA fan sites. He has been ESPN’s Manchester United correspondent for four years. His writing attracts a worldwide following and in 2011 this blog was nominated for an award. To contact Mark for football discussion e-mail him on markpayne.editor@hotmail.com at any time. He wears lucky socks on match days.
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