While Cardiff will feel they did enough to deserve a share of the points
from this game, there was no question that United had the chances to
put it to bed both before and after the home team’s late equaliser.
While it was clear from the early minutes that Wayne Rooney’s name
would be prominent in the post-match analysis, few would have predicted
it would have been partly due to a failure, when presented with an
opportunity to win the game, even to attempt a shot.
So close to Welsh delight. The first talking point
of the game came when Wayne Rooney was booked for kicking out in a
challenge he could easily have been sent off for. Almost inevitably,
Rooney then opening the scoring less than ten minutes later when he
capitalised on a Cardiff mistake and found the back of the net via a
deflection.
Cardiff responded well to going 1-0 behind and were rewarded for
their efforts just after the 30 minute mark with a very good equaliser
from ex-United striker Fraizer Campbell. It was a deserved goal.
However, United fought back when Patrice Evra put 2-1 us back in the
lead just before half time from a corner.
The second half was more like a chess game than anything as the
majority of the half was played in the middle. Both teams threatened on
occasion but United made the right substitutions to see the game through
– nearly.
United defended so well all afternoon but one slip up and Cardiff
capitalised to equalise with minutes remaining. Points dropped.
Misfiring midfield. With Carrick injured, Fellaini
will be thrust into the spotlight over the next four weeks and he
started today against Cardiff. However, he didn’t have a particularly
good game.
Given, he played a deep lying defensive midfield role, but you would
still expect more of an input from him. He looked very awkward when
going into any challenge, almost as if he half expected the tackle to go
wrong. He isn’t a dirty player but he is just clumsy. Going forward,
his passing wasn’t too bad but certainly could have been better. Towards
the end of the game he did improve but fans expect more from the £27
million man.
The same could be said of Tom Cleverley as neither midfielder managed
to really take the game to Cardiff in the middle of the park. I am a
firm believer that to get the best out of Cleverley, Moyes needs to play
him in a midfield three because the lack of defensive responsibility
allows him to thrive – something we saw following Giggs’ inclusion.
We’re going to struggle without Carrick in the next four weeks and
need all of our midfielders to step up their game in his absence.
Why was Rooney frustrated? Rooney’s hot headedness,
which had died down, made a re-appearance with a kick out that he
could have very easily been sent off for.
It was a very strange kick out from Rooney given that it came so
early on in the match so it can’t be attributed to frustration building
up throughout the game, which means Rooney came into the game in that
mindset. Earlier this week, he insisted that the criticism against his
fitness from last season was incorrect but apart from that, he has
looked very happy this season but would that be enough to make Rooney
kick out?
There’s no doubt it was a poor decision from Rooney to do but Kevin
Mirallas’ karate kick in the Merseyside derby was more deserving a red
card. Let’s see what gets more coverage.
Ten games undefeated. The result against Cardiff
today means that David Moyes’ Boyes have now gone ten games without
defeat in all competitions in what has been a fantastic turnaround from
the start of the season.
Only a few weeks ago, the sweeping sense of pessimism among United
fans was unavoidable but it has now transformed itself into some real
positivity.
It hasn’t been a trademark ten games in many respects but in others,
it has been exactly that. Getting results when we aren’t at our free
flowing best is the hallmark of champions and Moyes certainly looks to
be getting used to his squad now.
Beginning of a tough week. Yesterday’s away game to Cardiff was the first of three in seven days with visits to Bayer Leverkusen and Tottenham Hotspur up next.
A draw against Cardiff is far from the worst result in the world,
especially given that we played average for a lot of the game, but our
next two games are crucial. If we can come away from Leverkusen with a
win then we will qualify for the knock-out stages of the Champions
League and then we’ve got a big match against Tottenham.
Manchester City mauled but the only that is going to do is fire them up for our visit next weekend.
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