Manchester United Analysis – United disappointed following dour derby
Thursday 11 November 2010
MANCHESTER CITY 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 0
Manchester United will have been left disappointed after departing Eastlands with only a point to show for their dominance in the second-half against Manchester City.
The way the two sides lined up on Wednesday night it was clear that much of the encounter would be played out in the middle of the park. United will have felt that the midfield trio of Paul Scholes, Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick outperformed their opponents and will have been frustrated not to have capitalised on this. In the early stages, Manchester City got in amongst their city rivals and allowed them little time on the ball, causing United to rush their passing. However, once the likes of Scholes and Carrick got into their stride the United midfield were able to hit short, sharp passes to feet regardless of the pressure they were under. In the second half complete control was gained by United in this congested area with Carrick putting in arguably his best performance so far this season. The England man must build on this immediately with a tough trip to Villa Park on Saturday without the suspended Scholes. Scholes himself was fantastic and again put in the kind of performance which continually worries United fans as to how the team will cope when he finally succumbs to retirement.
What was clearly lacking in the United performance was the nous to break down a City side with men behind the ball. Dimitar Berbatov put in a good shift and did extremely well holding the ball up, but too often the Bulgarian was left with little in the way of support. When the two wide players, Ji-Sung Park and Nani, were able to get into wide positions they were often wasteful in possession or chose the wrong option. Park in particular found himself in some great positions but his final ball was continually under-hit, much to the annoyance of his teammates. Nani was disappointing and continually frustrating. Again he found himself in good positions but did little to hurt the opposition. In finding himself up against an inexperienced Premier League full-back in Jerome Boateng, albeit one with international experience, Nani should have looked to have taken him on the outside, rather than continually coming inside.
It was clear in this encounter that United lacked the creative nous of a fit and on form Wayne Rooney. Whether playing up alongside Berbatov or in a deeper, wide position, the England man might have been able to display the attacking talent needed to break down a strong City defence with numbers behind the ball. The United fans will obviously be disappointed in their side’s failure to capitalise on their possession but there may also be a sour taste left at the caution shown by the manager. In withdrawing Berbatov for Javier Hernandez, United only half seemed to be going out for the win. The young Mexican undoubtedly brings added spark to proceedings but surely would have been more effective alongside Berbatov. Many believe that Park should have been withdrawn - enabling Hernandez to use his pace from a wide area or play directly alongside the Bulgarian. It seemed that United were more concerned with not losing than pushing for a winner, something that is not often associated with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.
A dour game it might have been, but it could have been so much sweeter for United with a little more belief in the United way.
1 Van der Sar
21 Rafael – 15 Vidic – 5 Ferdinand – 3 Evra
17 Nani – 24 Fletcher - 18 Scholes – 16 Carrick – 13 Park
9 Berbatov
Substitutions 49 – 6 Brown on for 21 Rafael da Silva 68 – 22 O’Shea on for 3 Evra 78 – 14 Hernandez on for 9 Berbatov
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