United 0-0 Newcastle United: *audible sigh*

We played pretty well against Brugge in the week, and, on the whole, we were actually pretty good against Newcastle this weekend. But we didn’t win, we didn’t extend our perfect run, and we didn’t even score. Bar a (wrongly) disallowed goal against this weeks media scapegoat Wayne Rooney, we didn’t even look like testing the ‘keeper. Positives and Negatives. This ought to be fun.

Positives

The opening 20 minutes were some of the most confident and exciting minutes of the season so far. We could have legitimately been about 4-0 up after about 15 minutes, had it not been for the aforementioned disallowed goal, that might have been the case. Memphis had a chance or two, Mata had an effort skewed wide, and a free-kick plucked out of the air, but we had nothing to show for it. Chances are being created, on another day they could go in. If we keep creating those opportunities, goals will come.

Bastian Schweinsteiger started, and looked every bit as classy as you’d expect him to look. Rarely misplacing a pass, Schweini conducted the play, he actually looked like a babysitter playing football with a bunch of kids in a park at times. If it weren’t for Geroginio Wijnaldum sitting on him for the last 15 minutes of the first half, he could have easily become unplayable against. Schweini has settled in nicely at Old Trafford thanks, in part, to van Gaal’s manner of slowly integrating him into the line up. If only he were 5 years younger…

Both Luke Shaw and Matteo Darmian looked very good. Shaw is quickly becoming one of my favourite players to watch in this side. He’s so quick. It’s refreshing to actually have a player that can run at teams with pace, given how slow we are all over the park. As for Darmian, aside from being a walking booking, he is a genuinely good defender. A fine career, I predict for the Italian.
On the subject of the defence, it’s nice to get another clean sheet on the board with the Blind and Balling pairing, and even dodgy Serge can be happy with that. Plenty to build upon, still, but a very solid start.

Negatives

0-0 against Newcastle United is poor. van Gaal summed it up when he suggested it was a good performance, but we didn’t reward ourselves. We deserved to win by about 3 or 4 goals, but you don’t win solely on the run of play. You have to take your chances when they come, and we had plenty. We were poor, in that aspect. Seemingly content in passing the ball between the 3 attacking midfielders, allowing Newcastle to get numbers back. Which brings me onto my next point…

We were far too slow in possession. It’s all well and good having 70% of possession, but, again, that doesn’t win you games. It certainly doesn’t help when a large chunk of that number can be attributed to Blind, Balling and Schneiderlin. There were times last season when we played like that, and got no where, and that’s happening again. With 15 minutes to go, we were still looking to pass it about at the back. We lacked someone to carry the ball between the midfield and the attack, instead of having our midfielders pass it backwards and sideways. When Schweini was subbed in the second half, that was the perfect opportunity to have that sort of player brought on.
Ander Herrera proved last season he is more that capable in playing that role. He’s deceivingly quick for a central midfielder, and he’s got the ability to score and create opportunities. Against a side that were happy to have all hands on deck, like Newcastle, and like Villa last week, there really is no need to have two players happy to keep the ball between themselves. I like Schneiderlin, and I like Carrick, but they are not compatible. Both are far too similar. Herrera is a true box to box type, and would have offered an attacking option when Mata cut inside, or when Rooney dropped deep. Just like last season, when he was inexplicably dropped, his exclusion from this side is truly baffling, and absolutely unnecessary. The sooner he’s recalled as a starter the better.

Rooney might not be the answer by himself up top. Aside from the non-goal, he looked lost. Rooney has become a mature player, and looks a leader, but he lacks the basic discipline to hold the line up top. Too often he was happy to drop deep in search of the ball, and it left us light up front. ‘nandez made an appearance late on, and managed to fashion an opportunity for himself, but he’s neither consistent or good enough to head the attack. Dare I say it, another body is almost required up front to, if for nothing else, provide a bit of competition for that spot.

Januzaj needs to improve, because, right now, he’s living off being the only player on out team with a goal to his name. And, I’m not being funny, it wasn’t even that good. He’s offered so little in the last few games, he managed to break down a 3-on-2 in our favour. I love the kid, and i think he has the potential to become a big piece of this side, but I’m not convinced he’s what we need right now. I’d rather have Herrera as an extra body in the middle of the park for Schneiderlin and Carrick/Schweini to give the ball to.

Memphis started well enough, but when he drops, he’s a liability. At times, he was trying to win the game by himself, and it hindered us massively. Ashley Young must be wondering what he has done to deserve this silent treatment, because he could have improved that left sided attack in the second half. I hope van Gaal isn’t just sticking with him because he cost £30 million or whatever.

It was a solid performance, but there was no plan B. We had one game plan, one mindset, and we applied that for 90 minutes. van Gaal needs to become more pragmatic in his approach to these teams. Two holding midfielders aren’t required when the ball is barely gonna enter your half. This side is still a work in progress, so games like this can only help in the long run, but it’s frustrating to see a side basically asking for your address so they can post you the three points, and you politely decline before attempting to pick pocket them from your opposition. Metaphor aside, we should have won, end of. Failure to do so should be seen as such: a failure.
Anyway, we move onto Brugge on Wednesday, before travelling to Swansea on Sunday. I’ll do a thing after the Brugge game, and preview the Swansea game on Friday I imagine.

United 3-1 Club Brugge: Walking in Memphis

That’s better! On a night billed as the most important of our season so far, United put together one of the most exciting performances in recent memory. Full to the brim with attacking verve, United saw off an early own (and away, might I add) goal, and raised it with a performance fitting of one of England’s finest. We travel to Brugge next Wednesday with a two goal lead, and, really, it ought to be over at this point. Here’s your Positives and Negatives.

Positives

Memphis was gooooooooooooooooooooooooood. United went down after 8 minutes through a Michael Carrick own goal, however the Englishman responded magnificently with a pass so delicious you could serve it at Wings as a starter and it would be a house favourite. What followed was incredible. Jinking the ball over the Brugge defender, somehow finding space in a crowd of about 5 other Brugge players, before curling the shot bottom bins. Not a bad first goal. The second was better. A thunderbolt from left to right; something he’s tried a few times without reward this season. He almost capped a hattrick in the most perfect manner (more on that later), but he had to settle for a brace and an assist in the dying moments. Twin that with genuine flashes of brilliance, and a blossoming relationship with Luke Shaw down the left, and you’ve got a performance of class. Not bad going for the young man.
What was incredible to see was his post-match interview, where he was visibly disappointed not to have gotten his hattrick. The kid wants to rule this club, that much is clear. A few more performances like that will certainly help him achieve that sooner rather than later.

On the topic of Luke Shaw, the full back put in another first class performance, suggesting this season could be one of the highest quality. He was more than willing to throw himself forward when needed, and had enough pace to get himself back. His defensive positioning does need some work, but that will come in time.
We was also the architect of the move of the game. After losing the ball in our half, he proceeded to win it back, then flat out sprint from the left hand side over to the right, up the right wing, delivered a perfect cross into Rooney, who deftly nudged it back to Memphis, who balloon’d it over the bar. It was an unfortunate end to a breathless move. Let’s hope for more of the same soon.

Defensive partners Chris Balling and Daley Blind looked as assured as ever. Former United centre half-turned-professional pundit Rio Ferdinand described Balling’s performance as “beast mode”, and with good reason. Balling was quick, he was strong, he rarely looked troubled. He’s been specifically mentioned in every one of these summary’s this season so far, which suggests to me this is more than just excellent form. His showing suggests he’s improved as a player. This could be par for the course for the man. And, if that’s the case, we’ve got a very good player on our books. I hope I’m right, because this kid call ball. As for Daley, what he lacks in aerial presence he makes up for in composure, which he has in spades. I will say he’s looked good in the last couple of games. Let’s hope he continues to improves as well.

Negatives

Serge Romero looked uncomfortable in possession. This is a side that have spent the last two and a bit years using the goalkeeper as on outlet for keeping the ball, and Romero did not look like a ‘keeper that could handle that. Case in point: a second half back pass rolled to him, and he failed to notice the oncoming Brugge centre forward as he dallied his way to the ball. He picked up a knock in the process of atoning for his mistake.

3 goals wasn’t enough. When you create as many opportunities as you do against Club Brugge, you’re expecting about 5. And that comes down to another frustrating night for Wayne Rooney, who, even though he’ll score sooner rather than later, cuts a figure far less inspired than his former self. And, with Javier “‘nandez” Hernandez looking sharp in his cameo appearance, Rooney needs to buck his ideas up.

Those are mere nitpicks, mind. We were dominant against a side we were expected to be dominant against. Our thoughts turn now to Newcastle United on Saturday lunchtime, which I will be previewing tomorrow evening. Many thanks for reading.