I’d hate to see the season reviews come May looking back on this week and referring to it as the week that United lost their grip on the title. We already find ourselves five points behind Arsenal after a crushing derby day defeat last Sunday and defeat to Arsenal this weekend in the Cup could be the final blow.
The derby day Munich memorial game was one we’d all been looking forward to for some time. If I am honest, I didn’t even consider the possibility of us losing. That, I imagine, is fuel to the fire for people who slam the arrogance of United fans, but after spending so much time focussed on the spirit of Manchester United, looking at all United achieved before and after the Munich Air Disaster, I just couldn’t see how that wouldn’t carry through to our performance against City. Particularly after losing out on the points at the council house at the start of the season, despite completely battering the blues, I just assumed we’d win. I imagine the players felt the same way.
I’m not sure anyone can really explain what happened against City. Did the pressure get to them? Was the occasion too much? Were they too complacent? I suppose Sir Alex Ferguson has spent this week trying to work that out. Essentially, last Sunday was a big moment for the club and fans, and our players ruined it. I can’t remember ever feeling this way towards our players. The losing I can handle, but I am still struggling to deal with the way in which we lost. How dare they put on such a half hearted performance in such an important game.
Several players have promised an answer to our bewilderment in tomorrow’s game against Arsenal. “We’ve all been thinking about the reasons why it happened and how we want to pull ourselves together and get the result out of our minds,” said Rio, who had a truly woeful game against City. “The best thing you can do is to come into training and just get focused on winning the next game, and that’s what we’re doing.” Ryan Giggs joined in, adding, “we’ve got to make sure we don’t produce any more performances like that.”
With talks from Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Alex Ferguson for weeks leading up to the derby game, our players spirits were likely to be very high. Our players would have felt as though they were prepared, mentally and physically, to get a win and do the fans proud. For the whistle to blow on a game which not only left us with a loss, but an absolutely dismal performance, will have been gutting for our players.
So now we are focussing on Saturday as a means of redemption. Knocking Arsenal out of the Cup won’t make up for losing to City in the league, but it will certainly raise morale and belief. After drawing with Arsenal at the Emirates, to beat them at home would send out the right message to the fans and our rivals. We’re not giving up on this title race and we are capable of beating Arsenal.
However, if we suffer a defeat against Arsenal, our second loss in less than a week at Old Trafford, it might serve as a blow we cannot recover from. Whilst in reality, to overcome five points in February is by no means an impossible feat, the confidence levels in the players will be at an all time low.
The story doesn’t end there though, with a trip to Lyon following four days later, then up to Newcastle three days after that. Both of these will be tough games for United, where things could certainly turn from bad to worse.
Now, don’t get me wrong, this isn’t intended to be full of doom and gloom. Whilst things could go tits up for United here, it could also be the turning point in a much more positive way. Beating Arsenal would put questions in their players’ minds, most of whom haven’t come close to winning the Premiership before, whilst restoring confidence in our lads.
The important times of the season are much better reflected on in hindsight and I am possibly getting ahead of myself here, but I can’t help but wonder whether we are approaching the climax of the week that makes or breaks our season.
What do you think?
Man Utd News 24/7
I think the Arsenal game will be huge, and maybe we will look at it as our most important moment this season in May. Hopefully we will win, and cause of Arsenals many injuries, it should make it easier. Very hard, but easier. United 2-0 Arsenal. Rooney, Ronaldo to score.
Yes its an important game.. but both managers have 1 eye on the Champions League. Probably ManU will win simply because they want FA cup more than Arsenal do. And yes, the injuries are not helping either…. but I guess you can only put 11 men on field. Game on !!
I think it is a cop out to say Arsenal want the FA Cup less than United? Where did you read that? Or did it show up on your ‘cup-passion-o-meter’?
I think it is fair to say both Managers want a win tomorrow, though as United are at home we will be favourites for a better result. However based on form, Arsenal should be favourites. One thing for certain, nobody wants a replay, It will be disruptive and could be a game too many for both squads.
A loss last week didn’t even cross my mind. I was very confident that United would put on a show in tribute to those being remembered, the occaision definately got to them. This week is as massive as it is being hyped. Arsenal are no doubt in a great position. Whoever does stay in the cup will obviously have a bigger games schedule which I bet some fans would be concerned about.
I am very much looking forward to it, it seems like ages ago when we last beat Arsenal. Start tomorrow, from then on we’ll have to push upwards, winning the games we’d expect and hopefully capitalise on Arsenal and their mini-injury crisis. I’m glad Sagna isn’t playing tomorrow, though Manchester United battled hard last year with upto 10 players out injured and we still did well in all 3 major competitions.
Mate, cheer up some. Also back the team up in bad times. You’ve got a season ticket, make sure OT is loud and supports the squad!
It is in those moments we have to be there and show that we’re One United.
As for tomorrow, to be honest, I fear the thought of Arsenal losing, because that would be the kick in the butt they could use to roll on. But I loathe the thought of the second French national squad knocking us out even more.
But nah… we’ll beat them. And they have some horrible months to come. 15 Points we already once did, they better watch their back… and make sure they don’t fall of their high horse too early as it would not be fun for us.
HUGE MATCH FOR UNITED ! Not only is this a knock=out competition but there is the matter of re-gaining momentum that has been squandered the past fortnight.
I think it’s fair to say that UTD must win this match – and not get caught up in a replay, either. This is real back-to-the-wall stuff. Great ! It’s what we hope for in the summer as the new season dawns – to be in with a shout for the treble, again.
I’m not sure anyone can really explain what happened against City.
_________________________________
To me viewing and reading the players response to Munich and Busby Babes legacy on interview prior to the game, the impression I got was they were like outsiders, exposed to it for the first time. This includes the local boys.
They may have talked about it before, seen the pictures on the wall etc, but they didn’t seem like they got it. Ronaldo picked up on some points like fresh faced young players, great camaraderie playing great football but not on the hope they brought that was lost. They mentioned tragic and impacting the club, but I don’t think they fully understood what it meant. Until the 6th when the emotional outpouring from fans was all too evident (compare that to the scenes inside with the 4 that attended the memorial service, who looked uncomfortable and out of place).
That would have got them really dwelling on this taking focus away from the game, no matter how professional one tries to be. Don’t look to the coaches as they too are from the club and are affected. The stadium feeling on the 10th would have caused some more distraction. Then the whistle blew and they suddenly found themselves in a match. If there is a blame to be assigned than it is in mental focus and team preparations. But can you really fault anyone when the problem is within and club induced so to speak?
Contrast this with Sven and Micah Richards comments. Sven sounded liked a tourist enthralled by the occasion rather than one immersed and swept by it. Richards gives the distinct impression that this wasn’t an important event either before or after the match despite coming through their academy and having lost an ex-player through this accident. They were free to focus on the game and they played well and won.
Internationals always affect the top teams and creative players more than others yet that would not explain it. CQ mentioned 7-8 players off boil. Fair enough. Yet Rio (amongst others) doesn’t make short passing errors even when he is off boil. His lapses are more to do with dawdling and not picking up the loose man. He passed a few that day to a blue shirt when no red was in sight, including from last man position. This is highly unusual.
The international did disrupt us in not allowing much time to get the players back together for match preparations and pulling focus.
You might call the performance half hearted but I will say they look lost and not fully focused. These are two separate things, especially in team sport needing coordination and understanding.
It was the occasion rather than the pressure, dealing with distraction of emotions, not unlike us fans. Except we can get to stand/sit in place and switch straight to the game on the whistle while they were caught off gear and never looked in it, even when dominating possession for the first 10-15 minutes. It was a totally different performance to the one at Eastlands or at any other game barring the one at Upton Park. Even in that one we didn’t make so many unforced errors yet did look off pace, unorganised and less determined than the opponents in the 50-50 balls.
In the week to come we play in the FA Cup, Champion’s League and the EPL consecutively, but so do Arsenal and Chelsea. To me, for all it is an equally important week and can determine which ones gets unsettled heading into the busy end of fixtures. It would be pivotal in cup ambitions but not in the league, unless any of the teams allows themselves to slide like Arsenal did last year. I don’t see us in this danger. 10th gave us a big enough kick on the behind as reminder that we aren’t focusing and being disciplined on the task. We may yet look upon it as the low tide point in the season.