Another 0-0 Draw? Frustrated..........

Manchester United approached their midweek Champions League match full of confidence after securing a hard fought win over Watford over the weekend to go top momentarily. At the end of the latest round of fixtures in the English Premier League, United were second, one point off the top which is a good position to be in as the season heads into its busiest, most testing period. United needed a win against PSV Eindhoven to go top of their Champions League group and secure progress to the knockout stages of the competition.

To be frank, in all the matches United have played this season in Europe, they have made heavy weather of it. They could and should have sealed their progress sooner. The results have been a reflection of their performances and it is only fair then that progression to the knockout stages hasn't been secured yet. Football is based on results and not ifs and buts. United started the match with a youthful and exuberant-looking attack, Memphis Depay, Jesse Lingard on the wings, and Anthony Martial up front. Wayne Rooney was the only senior member of the attack playing just behind Martial. United started bright enough, pressing PSV high enough to win the ball and quickly launch attacks, looking to get in behind the PSV defence as quickly as possible.

Rooney came close to meeting a Matteo Darmian cross, Bastian Schweinsteiger had a rather tame shot from distance at goal, Memphis had two shots from distance, Morgan Schneiderlin had an effort saved at close range albeit having not had a strong connection with the ball, Martial had a great chance to give United the lead when the ball fell fortuitously to him but his effort was saved and he had a shot saved at the near post just before the half time. PSV looked to hit United on the counter and had some shots from distance saved. In the second half, Schneiderlin had a header that went over and Lingard headed a cross from Martial wide. Lingard had another great chance later in the game but blazed his effort over when in good position. As the half wore on, PSV grew in terms of possession and authority as United lost their way to end the match tepidly.

Honestly, if United had taken at least one of their chances especially in the first half, the game would have turned out very differently and so would everyone's opinion on their performance. The manner with which they ended the match was very disappointing and that has attracted the usual criticism whenever Louis Van Gaal's United drops points. In the second half, I feel not only was there a lack of composure in keeping possession and patience in increasing the intensity of their attacks, it felt like there was a distinct lack of fitness as well. Schneiderlin and Rooney looked especially tired. Memphis was kept quiet, Martial and Lingard lost their way in the second half like the rest of the team. Rooney was again not influential. Ashley Young was brought on as a substitute but he had little impact. Marouane Fellaini was brought on for Schweinsteiger and he too had little impact. Fellaini isn't useful when he is brought on to replace one of the two central midfielders. He is more of a threat when he plays off the striker. Van Gaal did swap him with Rooney and yet he had no impact on the match. Juan Mata was introduced too late in the game to make any telling contribution.

Van Gaal sounded perplexed that his changes had no impact on the pattern of the match. It is disappointing to see the way United just fell apart seemingly due to lack of fitness. It looked like it. Roy Keane pointed it out in his post-match analysis and I got to agree with him on this. The atmosphere at Old Trafford was also rather subdued throughout the night. There were some discontentment and whistles that could be heard at the final whistle. I struggle to name a single United player that did well. The most impressive players were PSV players, Santiago Arias, Andres Guardado and Jeffrey Bruma. Chris Smalling, David De Gea and Daley Blind were probably our best players. Smalling has been great since the back end of last season but he can certainly improve his distribution of the ball coming out of defence. I feel more can be expected from Blind as well as he is the best distributor of the ball among all the centre backs we have. I hope Michael Carrick is fit enough to start against Leicester City so that the centre midfield partnership can be rotated. United got to try and play the ball forward faster from centre midfield and Carrick can help in that aspect.

In attack, Rooney has not been pulling his weight as captain and as a leader. He has been poor and I don't feel it has anything to do with the more measured style of play United are playing under Van Gaal. He has not looked sharp and fit. Keane was right to criticise him after the the draw against PSV. The others in attack, Lingard, Memphis and Martial are youngsters. They are still developing and it is unfair to expect wonders from them week in, week out. Nostalgia plays tricks with peoples' mind. Cast your mind back to when United newly signed Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. United went 3 seasons without winning the title, the team was in the shadows of Arsenal first and then Chelsea, people were calling for the head of Sir Alex Ferguson, saying that he was over-the-hill but the reality was that the team was in transition and it did come good eventually. Regardless of how much the club has spent over 2 summers, the team is still in transition. I am not sure if they will come good again eventually but as fans, we got to be patient and have faith. The frustration we get from watching Memphis is like what we, as fans had experienced when Ronaldo had newly joined the club. I am not sure if Memphis will develop to be a world beater like Ronaldo. That will depend on the player himself but let's have some patience with him, Lingard and Martial. It is unfair as well to place the burden of scoring entirely on the shoulders of Martial. There's another youngster, Anders Pereira who hasn't played much but has a lot of potential too.

The senior players like Rooney, Schweinsteiger and Carrick would need to start pulling their weight and influencing matters consistently and at a higher level than what they are producing now. Schweinsteiger and Carrick have performed at a decent level but can do better especially in terms of influencing play. Rooney, on the other hand, has been unbelievably poor. He looks like a player that is on the downturn of his career. Rewind back to 1995-96 and you might remember Eric Cantona leading a group of youngsters to an unlikely Double. If United are to be even half as successful as that season, Rooney has to step up or Van Gaal has to have the courage to drop him and adapt. The decision to sell Javier Hernandez is coming back to haunt us now because he would have been a very valid alternative to Rooney and it would have avoided putting too much pressure on Martial. If only, more faith had been shown for the Mexican. What Sir Alex achieved with a young team in 1995-96 or what Van Gaal achieved with a young Ajax team between the same years may never be repeated in modern football but for this United to stand a chance to come close to those achievements, the senior players have to pull their weight and lead by example.

I feel that the fruit of Van Gaal's work now would benefit his successor rather than him. The team would mature by then and would be out of transition. In the here and now, it is not too bad that United are second in the English Premier League, one point behind the leaders Leicester City who United would face next. Qualification to the Champions League is still within United's hands. It is not that bad at all but I agree it can be better. However, be patient and have faith that's the only way forward. In good time and bad, we got to stand by the team.

Hard Fought Win

I remember the last time Manchester United played against Watford. It was the second game of the season after United had started the season very impressively by trashing Fulham 5-1. United beat Watford narrowly then and needed a late goal to seal the win. It was a hard fought match. That season, United went on to win the title after three seasons without winning it. Watford vs Manchester United 2015 started with some serious concerns for United fans when it was revealed that Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial, Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini would join Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw on the sidelines through injury or in the case of Rooney, illness. The pre-match news left United looking bare and light in the forward department. James Wilson, was on paper, the only available centre forward in the senior squad that was fit but he lacked match fitness having just return from injury himself. My thoughts pre-game were on how United would line up and on the kind of start United would make to the match. I had stated my concerns in the past that United tend to start slowly in matches and especially away from home in England, it could leave United with a hill or a mountain to climb in matches.

United's line up saw Memphis Depay deployed as the lone forward supported by Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and Jesse Lingard. Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger starting the match was a no-brainer especially after Carrick's unavailability and Louis Van Gaal had ascertained their mental condition after they were both involved in the international friendly featuring their respective countries on the day of the tragic terrorist attacks on Paris, one of which occurred just outside Stade de France where the match was taking place. Ashley Young kept his place at right back, Phil Jones was brought back into the side to partner Chris Smalling in centre defence, a partnership that I feel is the strongest for United. Daley Blind played left back in place of Marcos Rojo, who was the only member of the squad that travelled the furthest over the international weekend. After the rendition of France's national anthem, La Marseillaise which was played to show support and solidarity for the French, the match started. I noticed from the start that the ball wasn't travelling as naturally as possible as the strong winds played tricks with its trajectory. However, United started brightly, dominated and got a deserved early goal. Ander Herrera's early ball into the box was met first time by Memphis who side footed United into the lead. United had some half chances to take the lead but didn't take them. Watford were hardly in the match but their first real chance of the match was created after Young was dispossessed by Etienne Capoue in the Watford half to launch a 2 vs 1 counter attack but it was not capitalised by the home side after Odion Ighalo was shepherded away from goal by the re-tracking Schweinsteiger and he shot wide.

United had to deal with the lost of Ander Herrera in the first half due to injury and I was surprised that Van Gaal chose to bring on Rojo and revert to 3 at the back. I would have thought that Andreas Pereira for Herrera would have been a straight swap and a better option since United were already in control of the match and showed vibrancy in the attacking third with the present set up and formation. In the second half, United started brightly again and had a great chance to score a second but Lingard was denied by Heurelho Gomes. From the 60th minute mark onwards, Watford started creating more chances and had more shots on goal. United were comfortable in possession and in protecting their lead. David De Gea had shots to save but nothing out of the ordinary until a shot by a Almen Abdi was deflected by Chris Smalling and heading into the bottom corner if not for a great save by De Gea. Lingard had another great chance to wrap the game up but his lobbed effort lacked the elevation to beat Gomes in goal. Five minutes after, Rojo made a silly tackle in the box to give away a penalty that was converted by Watford's captain, Troy Deeney. Watford would argue that they deserved the equaliser but from a United perspective, it was a frustrating goal to concede as it meant that United now risked dropping two points after all the chances and half chances created.

The response to losing their lead was commendable and reminiscent of United of old. Chris Smalling had an effort saved from a corner and from the subsequent corner, United worked out a move that saw Lingard's effort parried by Gomes but Schweinsteiger reacted quickly to the rebound and diverted it goal wards but had a huge stroke of luck as his effort was bundled across the line by the unlucky Deeney. Overall, United should have scored more than one earlier in the match and wrap it up but as Sir Alex used to say, United always likes to make things difficult for themselves. The response to losing their lead was heartening. We have not seen a response like that in a long time from United. League titles are won on the back of such hard fought, come from behind wins. However, United would need to display this resilience and determination on a consistent basis if they are to be serious title contenders. United returned to the top temporarily after this win but have a greater concern to deal with, a growing injury list. Herrera and Jones were substituted due to injury today to join the other absentees in the treatment room. Hopefully, we can recover some of the absentees in time for the Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven or the next Premier League match against Leicester City.

1-0 To Inter Again.

As I settled in to watch Inter take on Torino in the week's early kickoff (7.30pm in Singapore), I knew I wasn't expecting to be entertained. I knew both sides would look to hit the other on the counter attack. If anything, Torino were more likely to be dominant and attacking in its style as they were playing at home. What I didn't expect though was that Inter would have the ability to put me to sleep by the end of the first half even for a match that kicked off at 7.30pm! The first half was that boring as both sides waited for the other to attack. I am putting the blame on Inter because they are my team and I expect them to do better even if it's silly of me to expect Inter to be an attacking and entertaining side after what I have seen of them so far this season.

Remarkably, Inter had taken the lead in the first half with their first shot on target and it was a well-worked move. Yuto Nagatomo's free kick was flicked on by Rodrigo Palacio for Geoffrey Kondogbia to volley in his first goal for the club. A few minutes prior to that, former Inter youth product, Marco Benassi curled a brilliant effort from the edge of the box but was unlucky to see the shot crash off the crossbar. In the second half, Torino decided to take initiative of the game to increase their tempo and attack more. Inter held firm as a defensive unit and were happy to just sit back and defend, showing no desire to go forward and get a second goal. Whenever, the defence was breached, Samir Handanovic was there to thwart Torino attacks and performed his customary superhero act once early in the second half. He saved twice in quick succession from Fabio Quagliarella and Andrea Belotti. His displays remind me of Francesco Toldo, the other superhero Inter goalkeeper that I know of and have seen. Whenever the ball did break for an Inter counter-attack, Inter's attackers especially substitute Ivan Perisic didn't look interested to score. There was a point when Gary Medel was playing further forward closer to Perisic and Adem Ljajic but not exactly in his ideal position. In the end, Inter held firm in defence to keep out Torino rather comfortably and defy all logic to rack up 3 more points and go top temporarily at least pending Fiorentina's result against Sampdoria later in the day.

First let me address what I feel is good about this Inter side. Roberto Mancini has really worked on the defensive organisation of this team. It is very difficult to breach the Inter defence conceding only 7 goals all season. I have to admit that Joao Miranda and Jeison Murillo have been excellent signings so far and they have contributed to Inter's excellent defensive record this season and their solidity as a pair and the presence of players like Felipe Melo and Medel in front of the defence has assisted them too. Individually and collectively, the team has defended robustly and stoutly and overall, the team has looked really solid and it is breeding confidence in the team with each passing game. Next, I feel Mancini has done well to implement tactical flexibility in the side to counter different opponents. He has taken full advantage of not playing in Europe to do so. It is clear that this Inter is not built to take the initiative in games and attack therefore it's strategy is to adapt to the opponents and counter their threat. They have implemented that strategy well except in the only match they have lost this season, against Fiorentina. Finally, I like what Mancini is doing with the squad by giving everyone some game time, fully utilising the squad despite not having any European games in midweek and everyone is kept on their toes. The only player that has not played a part yet or from the start at least is Martin Montoya. By doing this, he has also helped raise the level of players that were previously on the transfer market like Nagatomo and Danilo D'Ambrosio. I favour Andrea Ranocchia as a rare Italian in the squad but to be frank, his performances last season hasn't helped his cause. Let's see if and when he gets the opportunity, would he be able to take it and show his improvement or is he permanently doomed due to Miranda and Murillo's performances this season.

Now on what I don't like about this Inter side. I feel the team is too passive in its approach. I feel the team has been lucky so far to score whenever they have scored. The goals have been either spectacular, well worked, scrappy, through a penalty or from taking advantage of an opponent's error. We have not seen Inter as an attacking force at all and according to what we have seen, it looks unlikely that we shall see it this season. Inter looks content to go through the entire season winning 1-0. Whatever I have read from Inter's coaching staff, Mancini, owner, Erick Thohir and directors, seem to suggest an acceptance of the present style of play. It seems to suggest that entertaining the fans and playing attacking football is far secondary to obtaining results. The criticism of the Inter side doesn't bother anyone as long as the team keeps winning. I feel it is unbecoming of a big side like Inter to play in such an unadventurous style and rely solely on its defence to win. It is provincial and backward mentality. For all the quality amassed in the squad, Inter should be more than capable in playing a better style of football. I can't understand why on earth would Mancini resort to playing in such a way. There have been parallels drawn with the Manchester City side that he managed to the Premier League title due to the physicality in the Inter side but that is where the parallels end. City were more attacking and actually won the title due to a better goal difference. This Inter has not managed more than a goal a game.

On the owner Erick Thohir, I feel he is not good for the development of Italian football. He is clearly in it for financial gains. All he cares about is that Inter meets the goal its been set regardless of how its achieved. What he fails to realise is that if Inter keeps playing like that, they will not gain many new followers. They might achieve the goals and objectives of the project which is namely Champions League qualification this season but no-one would want to follow a side that bores spectators especially not in modern-day football where every side worth its salt as a big team is playing or looking to play an attacking style. He wants to make the San Siro Inter's but that is something a lot of Italian clubs are working on after Juventus managed to do it. A lot of Italian clubs know that they need to privatise their stadiums for greater monetary gains as well as for modernisation purposes. Thohir doesn't care about the development of Italian football from its youth level. He doesn't care about having local players in the team, he doesn't care about having local representation in the team from the youth ranks. He just wants the best people on the job which extends to the boardroom regardless of nationality which is fine on a meritocratic level. I cannot just blame him only for doing that because many other clubs have the same mentality. Most have the mentality of just wanting what is best for their club and have no thought on what is good for the development of the game on a national level. It is fine as well if he thinks about the good of Inter as a club because that has to be the objective but the football business cannot be run in the same way as other businesses. I get a feeling that he is less a football person and more a businessman which unfortunately is the stereotype of an Asian football owner.

Lingard Our Latest Boy Wonder

I had actually forgotten what happened the last time Manchester United played against West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford but the commentator reminded me of it during the match and it all came flooding back. It was the 2nd of May 2015 and it was my birthday! But what a horrible day it was! I had a huge falling out with my ex, spent most of the day sullen and sour, just when I was getting some joy in my day, my day was compounded further by United losing unluckily against West Bromwich and I had to return to my hotel in the rain. Bad memories but enough on my personal drama in my life. A lot has changed since then. If you want to know, I met someone else just weeks after that and now I am engaged to her. On the United side of things, in terms of points and standings, they are doing better than they did this time last season but drawing more flak than last season. There have been changes in the personnel since that dark day in May (it was at least for me).

Leading to this match, I found the criticism the team was taking to be nauseating. I have had enough of hearing the same thing being repeated over and over again by pundits and our former players. As pundits, they have to be fair in their assessment of the team as a neutral despite their allegiance to the club and I can understand if they are upset at what they are seeing because in their minds, they have only known United to play in a certain style under a different manager, a colossal figure, Sir Alex Ferguson but this is not a Sir Alex team, its a different manager with a different philosophy. I wouldn't say our former players and legends are being traitors with their repeated criticism and opinions on the current United team but I would just hope they would tone it down a bit. The football might not be what they expect of United but it is getting the results it needs and the fact remains that football is a results based business (like it or not, it is a business now). United fans want to be entertained but they also want to see the team winning. Sometimes in life, we just can't get everything and I feel what is most important now are the results. It would be great if it comes with the performances to match but if it doesn't, be glad that at least we won. Since Sir Alex left, every manager would be compared to the great man, his legacy, results and style of play. What people remember are the trophies won and the legacy left behind. What people don't remember is the struggles of the man before he achieved all this success. The man himself have been supportive of his successors and that is an example for everyone to follow. I understand our ex players/legends who have turned to punditry, have to be honest in their assessments and speak their mind but it would be good if there's some balance in their assessment and expectations. The truth of the matter is that despite all the spending over the last 2 summers, this is still a team in transition. How can you expect a team to gel so quickly and start producing good football as well as results to match with lots of changes in the squad?

On to the game now, I was surprised that Michael Carrick started after completing his first 90 minutes against CSKA Moscow alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger. I had thought Juan Mata could have been dropped in place of Jesse Lingard on the right wing but both kept their places and it was basically status quo from Tuesday. The team dominated all throughout but failed to create any clear cut chances. The best chance fell to Mata who finished a sweeping move by placing his shot wide. Anthony Martial then created a chance out of nothing to only shoot straight at Boaz Myhill. It was tensed once again as the first half ended but no jeers were heard. United tried their best to keep a high tempo and pass quicker. Sometimes it came off, sometimes it didn't and sometimes the passing was slower. In the second half, it was slightly quicker but the breakthrough came when Lingard collected a loose clearance and placed it first time beyond Myhill. The boy has deserved it. He hit the bar against City, the post against Middlesbrough, assisted Wayne Rooney in a Man Of The Match performance against CSKA Moscow and finally scored his first goal. If there is something United fans love seeing it is seeing players from the youth academy graduate and play in the first team. Lingard did that and went on to score his first ever senior goal for the club he has been at since he was 7 years old. There was no-one more deserving to open the scoring and no-one can begrudge him for that goal. He went on to put in another Man Of The Match display.

United wrapped up the victory with a rare penalty. It is odd to say that because we have been accused of getting easy penalties at Old Trafford in the past. Martial was put through on goal by substitute Ander Herrera and he was brought down by Gareth McAuley. Juan Mata stepped up to convert the spot kick. Even when penalties are awarded nowadays, it is not a given that United would score from it. It has gone better for United since Mata was assigned spot kick duties but in recent times we have seen some unexpected and shocking misses from the penalty spot. United sealed their first win of the season just before an international break after losing to Swansea City and Arsenal before the last 2 international breaks. That is 2 wins in 2 now after 2 successive draws. A positive would be that this is United's 4th clean sheet in a row in the Premier League and 5th successive clean sheet across all competitions. I was surprised that Carrick and Schweinsteiger completed their first 90 minutes together, Carrick's second consecutive 90 minutes in a row. Carrick did misplace some passes which is unusual for a player who is always expected to find his target with his passes. Schweinsteiger was tenacious and industrious. I would just like to see him take a shot from outside the box. More players should take that option when in space instead of trying to lay a through ball. Lingard's goal is the first goal United have scored with a shot from outside the box and that is telling on the number of attempts United take with shots from distance. Marcos Rojo is putting in some good crosses but no-one is making runs into the box and gambling on them. That is also another feature of their play that United needs to improve on. Oh and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson was brought on in the second half and had an assured performance as a teenager. I have never heard of him before yesterday but looks matured for his age. Louis Van Gaal, like Sir Alex is not afraid to field youngsters if they feel they are good enough. Overall, winning breeds confidence and the more United win and the more they score, the more confident United would be and that would be translated in their play. I repeat the team needs support and there has to be balance in their judgement and expectations of the current United squad.

To end off, it was very nice to see Darren Fletcher again at Old Trafford and can you believe the performance Jonny Evans put in? He always seem like a calamity and an accident waiting to happen when he played for United but there he was putting in a strong performance in a defensive West Bromwich performance. I would like to wish them, Anders Lindegaard and Ben Foster good luck for the rest of the season.

Defence 1 Attack 0

To be honest, I did not expected Inter to beat Roma on Sunday. I had expected a draw or a defeat on the back of another boring, laboured performance against Bologna last Tuesday. It has been uninspiring for most or all season, not inspiring enough for me to wake up in the wee hours of the morning for the second time in a week. I was surprised to find out when I woke up that Inter had beaten Roma. I was not surprised at the scoreline though. Upon further investigation (pardon the police lingo), I was pleasantly surprised to note that Danilo D'Ambrosio made his first start of the season and more importantly (for me at least), there was no Mauro Icardi! I felt like an idiot for missing the match. Icardi didn't even come on in the second half so that's no Icardi at all for the entire game. It called for something I rarely do, record the re-run of the game.

After watching the re-run, these are my observations, it was pretty equal between Inter and Roma in the first half until the screamer from Gary Medel. The identity of the goalscorer was unexpected. I had never seen him try something like that at all from watching him at Cardiff City, Chile and then Inter. I didn't think he was even capable of that but it was a great goal nevertheless and I was delighted for him. He has been a great signing for Inter. He is tenacious, reads the game well and does a great job as a defensive midfielder. A great replacement for Esteban Cambiasso with the difference being that the Argentine legend was always capable of popping up with a goal occasionally and he has scored some great ones along the way. Inter clearly had a game plan to counter Roma. In attack, it was 4-3-3 and while defending it was 4-5-1. The discipline of Ivan Perisic and Adem Ljajic to drop back into midfield to defend was impressive but I was particularly impressed by Ljajic. I was surprised at his display. I didn't expect him to defend so well and with such discipline. He did well to assist D'Ambrosio on the right wing to counter the threat of Gervinho and Lucas Digne.I was not surprised with D'Ambrosio's performance as I have seen what he is capable of last season. He slotted in at right back almost seamlessly in his first start of the season. On the opposite flank, Yuto Nagatomo made his second start of the season but it was one thing to play against Palermo and another to face an Inter legend, Maicon and a speed demon in Mohamed Salah. He had help from Perisic who I was not surprised of because he looked like the type of winger who would track back and help in defence. Inter sat back and invited Roma on to them, looking to hit them on the break. They made it tough for Roma in the first half to gain much headway going forward largely due to the defensive shape and organisation but sat too dangerously deep in the second half.

The front three of Balkan/Eastern European talents in Perisic, Ljajic and Stevan Jovetic were refreshingly mobile. It was the most exciting we have been in attack all season although neither scored. There was obvious potential in the trio but unfortunately not much was seen of them as an attacking force due to the defensive duties they had to carry out. Inter vs Roma pitted the best defence in Serie A against the best attack in Serie A and in the second half it was literally defence vs attack something one would have seen practiced on the training grounds. Nagatomo had a great game. He dealt with the threat of Salah first and when he didn't get much success on that flank, Gervinho switched flanks to try his luck and he too failed to get the better of the Japanese. It was a blow for Inter to lose the goalscorer, Medel and the team did look a little disjointed while trying to cope with his lost. Joao Miranda and Jeison Murillo did the best they could in central defence but Edin Dzeko did manage to get the better of them on occasions but thankfully he didn't cause any lasting damage on Inter.

Then came the outstanding performance of Samir Handanovic. There were some speculative attempts that was easily saved by the big Slovenian and then he had to make some tougher saves but the pick of the bunch was when he made four saves consecutively in a minute. Super Handanovic
Inter have relied heavily on him for the past two seasons and his quality came to the fore again for Inter. Handanovic was again absolutely crucial in helping Inter get a big win (not in terms of score but in terms of value). The sending off of Miralem Pjanic did help Inter's cause as Roma lost arguably their most creative source and a great threat from set pieces especially directly from free kicks. Inter won once again thanks to a great goal and great tactical, defensive display. Every player played their part. My star men were Handanovic and Nagatomo. Defence won on the night. It was not the most attractive or entertaining football we would watch all season as Inter fans or as neutrals but strangely enough, I feel contented at the end of the match considering the fact that I have been complaining/moaning all season on the defensive, boring displays of the team. Maybe the absence of Icardi had something to do with it.

Next for Inter is a lunchtime kick off against Torino at Stadio Olimpico. The timing of the kickoff and the quality of the opponents will pose a stern challenge and I wouldn't be surprised to see another display of defensive discipline looking to hit on counter, relying on a scrappy or marvellous goal to win it. There is a doubt on the fitness of Medel and I am afraid that in his absence, Felipe Melo will be reinstated. Fredy Guarin is suspended so there is vacancy for one midfielder and that could be between Melo and Geoffrey Kondogbia if Medel is fit enough to start. I am not sure if D'Ambrosio and Nagatomo would start although based on their previous performance, they deserve to start as does Marcelo Brozovic. I hope the Balkan attacking trio of Perisic, Jovetic and Ljajic keeps their place instead of seeing Icardi reinstated in the starting lineup.

What A Relief!

The overwhelming emotion at full time would be one of relief, ultimate, unequivocal relief. It's like you have been locked up a long time in a jail and have just been set free. Manchester United made heavy weather of beating CSKA Moscow. In his post-match comments, Louis Van Gaal stated the fact that United have never beaten Russian opposition at Old Trafford and this would be the first time they have done so. It would have either been the first time they have had four 0-0s in a row or the first win over a Russian team at Old Trafford. A smash and grab win for the Russians would have been the other eventuality. Thankfully, United got the win. As fans, we can all thank God (in whichever guise you believe Him to be) for that.

Did United deserve the win? Yes. They dominated possession, had more attempts at goal and more corners. Truthfully, United should have won this tie earlier and more comfortably. They started brightly enough. The players looked sharp and vibrant going forward albeit a bit wayward in their shooting. The longer the game went at 0-0, United grew anxious and nervous while the CSKA grew in confidence. CSKA deserve credit for their defensive organisation and defensive display throughout the game. Their performance was also helped by some misplaced final passes, long passes that were not accurate enough, crosses that were easily cut out and a well-worked offside trap.

Marcos Rojo had two great chances to score in either half but in both cases, he put it wide. Wayne Rooney started off brightly but besides an early shot that was rushed wide, he had no other attempts until that incredible miss in the second half. That miss epitomises Rooney this season. A little unlucky to get his first attempt blocked but not sharp enough on the rebound, allowing him to be easily dispossessed. Jesse Lingard started brightly in the first half on the left and then skied a couple of attempts when in good position and made a hash of being in good positions in the final third. Michael Carrick had a snapshot that went wide. Anthony Martial was double and triple marked. Set pieces were as good as useless as it has been all season because it posed no threat at the opposition goal. I don't know if the players are even practising it during training and if they are, I am not sure if they practising hard enough. These were the episodes of missed chances and ineffectiveness before the goal was scored.

It was quite remarkable to hear the Old Trafford crowd show its displeasure at the end of the first half and then again when Martial was brought off for Marouane Fellaini. I believe the frustration and displeasure of recent displays finally came to the fore. If this had been Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter, Juventus or Bayern Munich, Van Gaal would have been made known of the displeasure in earlier games and he would know having managed two of the above mentioned teams. He is lucky to have found passionate but yet supportive and patient fans at United. It's also a culture thing as Latin fans are quicker to voice their displeasure. Bayern is not a Latin club but the fans are known to be very demanding and less patient. Clearly the United fans at Old Trafford had a message for Van Gaal and the players yesterday and that was they had to buck up as such displays are unacceptable.

Personally I feel the decision to replace Martial was the right one. He was well-marshalled all throughout the game and as a result, he had little success in getting anything to come off. He couldn't dribble past his markers, he was getting caught offside and was cutting a frustrated figure. Do not forget that this is a 19-year-old boy we are talking about, a player that is far from the finished article. He has a lot more to grow and develop. It was wise to take him off the firing line. However, I expected more from his replacement, Fellaini. The only telling contribution the big Belgian made was a vital headed clearance from a CSKA corner. In the attacking sense, he looked lost between playing the number 10 behind Rooney and the number 8 in centre midfield. To be fair to him, there were not many crosses or set pieces into the box after he came on and it was right to bring him on to challenge Sergei Ignashevitch and Andrei Berezutski who are both commanding in the air. Unfortunately, he didn't get much chances to play up against them and I wasn't too pleased with his involvement. I don't think he did his chances of starting the next match any good.

Jesse Lingard though, put a shaky end to the first half behind him with a great second half. He was United's most dangerous attacking outlet and was especially dangerous when he was shifted to the right flank. He was responsible for setting up Rooney's goal with a cushioned cross after latching on to Michael Carrick's pass. It looks easy but it is a difficult skill to execute and Rooney showed his true self by planting the header beyond Igor Akinfeev. Lingard would be the undoubted choice as the Man Of The Match for United. Prior to the goal, United were nearly hit by the sucker punch when Seydou Doumbia was played through by his partner Ahmed Musa. His first attempt was blocked by David De Gea, who until then was largely a spectator in the game. As he latched on to the loose ball, it looked odds on that he would score to deliver a sickening blow to United as Ashley Young slipped while rushing to the line to block the follow up but out of nowhere, Chris Smalling (or Mike or Michael whichever you prefer) dived in like a superhero to block the effort on the line. That block was worth as much as Rooney's goal.

On individual performances, it was right for Young to keep his role as an auxiliary right back after Matteo Darmian's horror showing against Crystal Palace. I am not convinced of Daley Blind as a centre back and feel safer when Phil Jones plays there instead. Michael Carrick was incisive with his passes but after lasting the full match, I doubt he will start on Saturday against West Bromwich Albion. Bastian Schweinsteiger did well to provide mobility from centre midfield with his dribbles and driving forward with the ball. Juan Mata's place is under threat as he had minimal impact on the game and with a very strong performance by Lingard on the right wing, I feel his place is under severe threat. We would wait to see if Martial will be on the bench or will start on Saturday and if he does start, will he be on the left flank or up front? I am in favour of taking Martial out of the firing line to give him a breather. Memphis like Fellaini did their chances of starting no good. I feel Rooney is better off as a number 10 than as the lone striker. I hope Saturday could see the introduction of Andreas Pereira if Martial doesn't start.

On the performance, there were glimpses to suggest that United are capable of playing better, at a higher tempo but not enough to suggest that it's a rejuvenated attack now. There is an air of anxiety around the penalty box and the sooner the team scores and the more goals they get, the less pressure the forward players will feel. I get a sense that the forward players are not sure where and how the next goal is going to come from and that uncertainty eats at the players the longer it remains at 0-0. This is a psychological issue that the coaching staff has to address but the best way for the team to overcome this would be to start scoring goals freely. United got to seriously do something about the set-pieces. It is becoming anti-climatic whenever we get a free kick or corner. Short corners are getting messed up, direct deliveries from free-kicks and corners are not dangerous enough and direct free-kicks either crash into the wall or go over. Mata used to be one of the most deadliest from a free kick and yet he has not got a free-kick right all season. Memphis came with a big reputation with the most number of goals scored from a free kick in Europe last season but he too has not got it right. Rooney like most things he has tried out this season hasn't got the set piece delivery right too.

We don't know what to expect on Saturday when West Bromwich Albion visit Old Trafford. I don't expect the visitors to be the most adventurous in their approach. The onus will fall on United to create chances and find gaps to score. The earlier they score the better because at the moment that is what the team needs the most and that is what is needed in these matches, an early goal.

0-0 To United.....Strange But True

Four draws in a row, three 0-0s in a row and its not acceptable. It's not acceptable for a club like Manchester United that is famed for its attacking style of play. The fans demand for victories but not just victories achieved by scrapping through, they demand for victories achieved through style and panache. That is most important for United fans.

Against CSKA Moscow a fortnight ago, United did well to come from behind and draw but I feel they didn't do enough to push through their dominance and win the match. Against Manchester City, United didn't do much with their dominance of possession to win. Against Middlesbrough in the League Cup, the visitors created the better chances. United had chances to score but didn't take them. Finally against Crystal Palace on Saturday, United had the better of the first half after the 20th minute but didn't make their dominance count. In the second half, United were not in the game at all. Taking all these matches into account, only against Palace was it a point gained because it could have been no points gained.

Playing at Selhurst Park against Palace was always a tough fixture for United over the years so it was no big surprise to see United having a hard time. However, a pattern is emerging of United's away performances in England. They struggle when faced against teams that press high, playing at a fast tempo and aggressively. It happened last season too and I feel Louis Van Gaal hasn't been able to cope with this aspect of matches played in England. This is a worry as is the tendency for United to sleepwalk their way through the first half of matches.

Van Gaal has come under a lot of criticism and his tactics and strategy has come under scrutiny. I always expected him to come under fire when the team drops points because he doesn't exactly play in the quintessential United way. As long as United win, the noises will be less heard of but the moment United lose or draw, everyone will be out in arms against him. I am unhappy at the recent performances and results. Van Gaal has had one full season to bed in but to be fair, there were a lot of changes again over the summer so it's not like he has largely kept the same squad from last season and made some tweaks. Moreover, every team normally goes through a blip during the season and looking at the situation positively, we have gained a point in the Champions League and two points in the Premier League. We have only been knocked out of the League Cup which is disappointing because United now has one trophy less to win.
United has fate in their hands in terms of qualification to the knockout round of the Champions League and are within reach of the top spot in the Premier League. All is not lost yet even if naysayers and some fellow fans have given United up for death.

Van Gaal has a philosophy in mind but he has to stop being so insistent on it. He has to adapt to the demands of the Premier League. Matches are played at a higher tempo in England than anywhere else he has managed. After a season in England, he should know that. Possession is king because if a team has the ball, they are more likely to pose a threat to the opposition and win but it's no use to keep possession if it's only going sideways and backwards. I feel this possession style of football is useful when the team is in the first leg of an European knockout tie, when the objective is to keep the crowd quiet in away games or when protecting a lead. In most away games in England, United got to be ready to face an onslaught early on with the opposition throwing everything they got at a frenetic pace. The players can't afford to start slow and mentally stay behind in the dressing room. The team has to match their opponents toe for toe and win every second ball before imposing their style of play. Smaller teams on paper are capable of causing an upset if the players are not up to it and lose these battles on the pitch.

On the style of play, I remember Van Gaal's Ajax and Barcelona teams playing very attractive, flowing football. It has not been replicated at United consistently enough. I know it's the United way to be exciting and flamboyant in attack but I do understand as well that Van Gaal has resorted to a measured style of play. What his exact instructions are we do not know unless you are present during training sessions or in his meetings with the team. What we do know and can see is that United are building up play too slowly and are too predictable in their approach. It's frustrating to see the players get into the final third and mess up a cross or pass. This approach has to change. It's rather disjointed in the attack with crosses and passes going wrong or good passes and crosses are played in but its not anticipated by anyone. There is so much potential available in United's attack for it to excite the fans and produce breathtaking football but it is frustrating to see the attack so subdued.

On the matter of Wayne Rooney's form, it has been poor. Perhaps the rot set in last season but it was papered over by the fact that he was deployed in centre midfield for a chunk of matches. I don't feel Van Gaal's tactics has anything to do with his downturn of form. He looks like a player completely sapped of his powers. It looks to me like a player who has lost the aggression and fire he had when he was younger. He is definitely more mature as a 30 year old but the aggression and determination with which he put himself about on the pitch and the rollicking he would give his team-mates to wake them up is missing. I can accept that as a result of the tactical change since Van Gaal took over he doesn't close down defenders from the front and he doesn't put himself about on the pitch. Besides that it is unbelievable to see Rooney, a player known for his physical strength, get so easily dispossessed on the ball. He is getting passes and crosses wrong. In front of goal and in one-on-ones he is not sharp enough. Due to his lack of confidence he is trying to lay it off to team-mates to score instead of going for goal himself.

Rooney has to somehow from somewhere rediscover his form. With each passing game, the call to drop him has grown. He is either suffering a very poor run of form or at 30, he is on the wane or that he has to reinvent himself as a centre midfielder as suggested by Xavi. Van Gaal deserves credit for strengthening the defence (I hope I haven't spoken too soon) and for finally compiling a centre midfield of good quality but he has to tweak and adapt his philosophy. From watching the team last season, I feel United possess greater threat when they close teams down from the front and play at a quicker tempo.

Let's see now what happens tomorrow morning (Singapore,Malaysia,Hong Kong time) and in the upcoming matches. As fans, we have to get behind the team regardless of our personal opinions on the style of play, team and manager.