The final whistle blew and a crescendo of boos reverberated around Old Trafford. It's not the first time that boos have been heard at Old Trafford this season. In fact, before Sir Alex Ferguson retired, I have never heard the Old Trafford crowd jeer at their own team at the end of the match or at half time. I have never known it like this in my lifetime as a Manchester United fan since 1991. I don't think it would faze Louis Van Gaal though with all the experience acquired from his time at Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. As usual, it was mass hysteria again on social media at the end of the match. It is irritating to read but has become a familiar pattern after every game United so much as drop one point. I will not judge these fans and their authenticity and sincerity but it grates at my nerves whenever I read of these extreme reactions.
On the match itself, United were bright and played with intensity and urgency. They didn't maintain it throughout the match but they did display it enough to have won the match. West Ham had the better chances to score and defended stoutly. Winston Reid was the Man Of The Match. He was a colossal figure in defence. He nearly scored too from a header despite the close attention of Chris Smalling and Morgan Schneiderlin. His header from a corner crashed off the post. Before that, Daley Blind played a poor pass out of defence and United were hit by a counter attack but Victor Moses' effort was saved by David De Gea. Before that, Aaron Cresswell's cross was fumbled by De Gea and Smalling's clearance bounced off Mauro Zarate and off the post. In the second half, Zarate had a great chance to score after a well-worked move by West Ham. In total, they had 4 clear chances to score but only once was it through a well-worked move by West Ham. United had 21 shots on goal but had only 1 on target! It was a pathetic return. Now, if the team didn't attack at all, they wouldn't be capable of mustering 21 shots on goal and 6 corners. For a 0-0 draw, it was entertaining for the neutrals. If you did not watch the match, you would have thought that United laboured to create chances and had a pedestrian approach to the match but if you watched it, you would know that United tried as hard as they could to score. United approached this match with the right intensity and urgency and all that was missing was a goal or two. I had written in my previous post that the negativity garnered from the previous results were a result of the absence of an important detail, goals and not just optimum performance. Had United taken a chance or half chance then or made a better decision on the final ball in the last third or delivered the final ball accurately, we would be talking about a different, more positive sequence of results. United would be in a healthier position in the league table and Champions League as well.
If the players are not making the right decision in the final third or not delivering the final ball well or not taking their chances, how is Van Gaal to be blamed? He isn't on the pitch delivering the pass or cross, shooting or on the ball. It's the players that deserve the flak. The players have conveniently escaped the flak with all the blame for United's poor run of form placed on the manager's head. The manager is at fault if he is not getting the team to play with the right intensity, speed and urgency. He is at fault if he is not making the right team selection or making wrong substitutions but not yesterday. In other matches, the blame can be shared by the manager and players or even shouldered entirely by the manager but not in yesterday's match. I felt the inclusion of Marouane Fellaini had an impact on the team's increased urgency as they played the ball faster and more direct for him but he was at fault early in the match when he did well to beat a few players but chose to shoot wide tamely when he was flanked by Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata in good positions. Fellaini had a great opportunity to score in the second half but Adrian pulled off a great save although I think Fellaini could have done better.
The shooting from United players were awful. I am fine with the players taking a shot from distance instead of trying to pass the ball in the net all the time but the shooting has to be on target at least. The shots taken were wayward and rash. In the first half, Anthony Martial had a great opportunity to score but his shot was courageously blocked by Reid. In the second half, Mata, Lingard and Martial had great opportunities to score but all three put their shots wide when in good positions. Matteo Darmian had sent in an awful cross in the first half when in good position but in the second half, he sent in a great cross but no-one gambled to get near goal side. There were other half-chances that were blocked by West Ham defenders. In all, there were more than enough chances to score and win the match but United didn't take it. West Ham, to their credit defended very well and were not contented with just sitting back as they created some very good chances themselves. It was another frustrating result but the lack of a prolific, established striker is greatly affecting United now.
I have always been against the sale of Javier Hernandez but I understand why he was sold. At the time of his sale, there were many fans who described him as deadwood and trolled him for the penalty miss against Club Brugge. All of a sudden, on the back of his excellent form for Bayer Leverkusen, these fans are asking for him to be re-signed and crying out for him. Strange how peoples' view change from one day to other. I had read someone tweet that he had done f%^& all in his time at United. F$%& all! How people quickly people forget that it was thanks to his goals that United had won the last two league titles. Hernandez's goals weren't the only reason United won the titles and reached the Champions League final of 2011 but he played a significant part. He lost his way after Sir Alex Ferguson retired. David Moyes and Van Gaal didn't show him the support and faith he enjoyed from Sir Alex and lost his confidence but not his quality. He has left now and it would be difficult to imagine United re-signing him.
For United to do well with the present roster of attackers and attack minded players available, United would need someone to have an outstanding season similar to the breakthrough season Cristiano Ronaldo had in the 2006-07 season. At the moment, none of the attackers or attack minded players are standing out. Wayne Rooney is having an awful season, Memphis Depay, Martial and Lingard are still developing and generally there are not enough goals in the side. The midfielders and defenders are not contributing. Mata is normally so prolific in the box and from free kicks but has not been sharp. Another attacking midfielder, Ander Herrera is out injured now. Fellaini hasn't played enough and there haven't been enough good deliveries into the box for him to capitalise on. Smalling has been excellent this season on the defensive side of things but can improve with his distribution of the ball forward and has not scored enough. Although to be fair to him, the delivery from set pieces have been awful this season. Blind had an unusually poor match yesterday and he is another that is more than capable of scoring. Everyone has to pull their weight especially the more experienced and established members of the squad. United needs greater composure in front of goal and with goals will come greater confidence.
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