We’re inviting some of our Twitter friends, and now resident thought sharer Iwan Lehnert, to share some of their ‘Pre and Post Match’ thoughts with us from now on. You can still enjoy my nonsensical, confusing punctuation buffets below their proper good ones…
Iwan (@IwanLehnert):
Where exactly did that winner come from? For all intents and purposes, it looked as if we were going to fall victim to a strong second-half revival led by the Neckless one, but one inexplicably outstretched leg later, we’re 2-3 up and mania ensues. It’s another last minute winner that’ll stick in the memory alongside the likes of Owen, Rooney and Scholes, and it gives us a very handy cushion on top of the Premier League. It was tempestuous, hard-fought, engrossing and intense. And we bloody won it. Wonderful.
……….Fine, there’s a bit more to it than that. I don’t think any of us were wildly surprised to see City start strongly after such a meek exit from Europe last week. We hardly got a touch, save for one botched attempt at a cross early, and City were growing in confidence when Rooney scuffed home. It felt like one of those amazing moments where time almost stops and you feel like you have the time to run the length of a pitch before the ball crosses the line. The second was beautifully worked, lovely cross and finish with Rooney ghosting in wonderfully. After that, we were on top, then Young didn’t score, and suddenly we weren’t. To be honest, it wasn’t a massive shock when Zabaleta drilled home so clinically to equalise; City were getting closer, and Tevez had turned the game around. His bite got them in gear, and they were finishing the game strongly. Then he tripped Rafael up, and BOOM. Bedlam. I was watching from home with my daughter asleep in my arms and shouted as quietly as I could for a full minute. What another amazing moment for last minute winners in Manchester derbies.
Ashley Young deserves some credit for his performance yesterday. He gets regularly slayed by many United fans, and whilst he’s not the most endearing of players, he showed up in a big way yesterday on a massive occasion. His delivery was good, his link-up play was superb and he fully deserved a goal.
I don’t know how philosophical City will be after yesterday; losing a derby like that is always a gorilla slap to the chops, but to have done so after clawing their way back into proceedings must be a stinger. Everyone and his talking dog could’ve told Mancini not to start Ballotelli, and it was a decision that proved a detriment to his team.
We were lucky? In a sense, sure. City were on top towards the end of the game and we were struggling. The counter attack worked wonderfully for almost an hour, but when the game turned and City stepped up the pressure, we found it hard to re-assert ourselves. But then again, we also had a goal disallowed, a clear penalty not given and saw Tevez inexplicably allowed to finish the match after kicking Phil Jones having already been booked. We played an effective strategy against a good side, we were unlucky on a few occasions but took our changes when they came. Whilst the marking for the equaliser needs looking at, this sort of strategy will come in very handy in Europe if properly deployed. I could watch us contain and counter any side all day if we do it that clinically.
It’s a big result considering that we have to travel to Swansea and entertain Newcastle and West Brom before January rolls around, and it shows that we are an incredibly capable football side when we want to be. I guess it’d be boring if we showed that every week, though.
Final thought: if you’re cowardly enough to pelt a player with a missile aimed at their head from the stands, then you’re one of the worst types of human being, regardless of who you support.
Brett:
Hands up who scoffed at my 2-5 prediction. You at the back there … oh just stretching, huh?! Well, technically it was 2-4, so, I was almost spot on. YES I WAS. AND the masking taped defence, I referenced in my pre-match thing, also unravelled with Kompany coming off early. No need to congratulate me all at once.
What a beautiful way to win this game that was, especially in light of them getting to keep the trophy we both share from last year’s title draw, as a result of their goal difference and all that last day stuff.
Fergie outdid himself with the line-up. Things were clicking. Even Ashley Young (the older) carried his form through for another game (shame it won’t last, I’ll give it another twenty minutes, but we can enjoy it for now). The defence, backed up by De Gea (who’d have thought that would work?) were relatively strong; the midfield with the effervescent (never used that word before – probably won’t again) Cleverley and composed Carrick did enough, and we all know about the two up-top. All that with the cherry, of T.V back in the side, on top. All very much better. Not great, but better.
Six points means nothing – we learned that last year, and in fact if anything affords the team ahead the opportunity to take their foot of the gas a bit, and therefore letting the other catch up again. But, that whole paragraph was just silly rambling – I’d much rather be ahead. I apologise.
City looked a bit more like their 2011/12 selves in the second half, which is a little ominous for those eyeing up second in the table. Their problems with motivation and managing individuals, which are more pressing than ours, still exist and long may they continue.
A great week to be a United fan – as they all are.
(Obviously, the fan who threw the coin at Rio forgot to sellotape it to the inside of a Christmas card – sorry, it’s very serious, and of course has no place anywhere, or a football match)
MOTM: Ashley Young, cus he won’t get this close to being in my good books for a while.
