Premier League Match 24 - Manchester United 1 Southampton 1

Yes David, It's Going In

Just 60 or so hours after the magnificent win at Spurs, Saints have another Big Six away day at Old Trafford.  The reason that the number of hours are significant is because United have had an extra 24 to prepare for this game. Sadly, it’s one of those things that is absolutely inevitable with the way the games are arranged for TV schedules when some of the same round of matches are played over three days in mid-week. Anyhow, we have to get on with it and get on with it we will.  I am hoping that everyone has recovered from the Tottenham game and we can put out the same 11.

Since we played them last, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been sacked because he couldn’t possibly carry on fluking results in the second half with no obvious plan other than throwing on expensive substitutes and hoping for the best.  The man they have chosen for the rest of the season at least is Ralph Rangnick who has a connection to our Ralph in that he was the Director of Football or Sporting Director at RB Leipzig when our Ralph was the manager.  It was widely reported that there was a bit of a clash between Ralf and Ralph and our Ralph walked and their loss was our gain. It remains to be seen if Ralph Rangnick can get a tune out of this ridiculously expensive but completely unbalanced United squad.

I’m of the opinion that it wouldn’t matter who was in charge of Manchester United.  Any manager will have a game plan and these days, that will always involve hard work off the ball.  It doesn’t matter who the manager is if the players either aren’t capable or aren’t willing to carry out his wishes and buy into it.  We all know what United can do when they come forward, especially on the break and that will be enough to beat a lot of teams but what can they do when it comes down to playing other big sides and it comes down to who works the hardest? The pivotal result of their season and the one that basically saw the end of Solkjaer was when they came up against a team with similar attacking riches but who do work hard… Liverpool…. and they got absolutely smashed 5-0 at home.

Rangnick’s United do look better organised than Ole’s United but they’re not as free scoring. He has made a couple of tough decisions in bombing out both full-backs with the fitter and more offensively minded Dalot and Telles, his preferred combination ahead of Shaw and Wan-Bissaka.  He hasn’t bitten the Maguire bullet yet, but he needs to.  You can’t play high press football with a centre back who turns like a ocean liner and has the top speed of the average 50 year old.   There is still also the glaring weakness in the centre of midfield and one of their other problems, dear old Paul Pogba, is back fit again because he’ll be wanting to impress one of the big European clubs before his contract runs out the end of season. “Will he sign another contract for United?” screams the media every fucking day.  Clickbait bollocks and who fucking cares.

Saints have been basking in the glow of the Tottenham game a little bit. We never receive as much praise as we should when we are away at one of the big boys but we have received a fair amount, usually backhanded and usually stuff like “Broja is playing so well he’s going to go back to Chelsea“ or “Ward-Prowse should be playing for a big club“.

Today will be absolutely no different in that regard and we of course are hoping for the same result again today but it will be tough against this ridiculously expensively assembled Manchester United side. To give it some context, they bought Luke Shaw off us in 2014, 8 years ago, for a fee which beats our transfer record in 2022, by £10 million.

I’m watching this game again on BT Sport so once more we’re going to get Ian The Skate on commentary but Glenn Hoddle is in the studio this time along with Paul Scholes. I guess Glenn is the Saints representation in the studio given that he managed us for half an hour 20 years ago. The glimmer of light for us in regard to neutrality on the TV, is Martin Keown, who would definitely have enjoyed us beating Tottenham on Wednesday and has never had Manchester United on his list of favourite teams.  The build-up is so United leaning that at one point, I wondered if we were playing.  Scholsey thinks it could be a day for a huge win for United…. 9-0 gets a few mentions of course.  It also shows how badly informed the pundits are when they talk about Ralph linking up with Ralf at United, without mentioning the fall out at Leipzig.  However, I’m sure Ralph would find it hard to turn down if United come calling.

Team news and we’ve gone for the same again and whilst I think that’s our best side, I have slight doubts about our ability to put in another high intensity performance this soon after the Spurs game.  United have gone with Pogba, Fernandes and a front 3 including Ronaldo which basically means 5 players who won’t want to track back, so there will be chances for us.  I am delighted to report that Cavani isn’t even on the bench for United which is great news indeed.

After the first Ian Darke 9-0 mention on 5 seconds approximately, Saints start with a bit of confidence and Che has a lash from miles out which flies over the bar comfortably.  We are all anticipating 1-0 from United’s first attack as Sancho orchestrates a break and finds Ronaldo, who impressively, considering he’s carrying a zimmer frame, skips round Forster before bobbling a shot towards an empty net which Perraud clears easily.

The scare seems to wake us up and we build through midfield, eventually freeing Elyounoussi on the left hand side. His cross finds KWP at the back post who has not been tracked by anybody and he’s sidefoots it across but it’s just behind Che Adams and he slips over and the ball bounces out to the edge of the box.  JWP rattles it back but it hits a defender and bounces clear.  An unfavourable break of the ball as far as we’re concerned and United are on the break again and Sancho picks it up on the left but luckily for us he decides to be greedy and gets as far as Forster before stabbing get at the keeper and we get away with it.  Good defending by Bednarek to hold him up a bit.

We only look vulnerable on the break but this is an occupational hazard when you are as brave on the ball as we are.  We lose it and Fernandes plays a lovely ball inside Salisu to Rashford, who goes gallivanting forward (he never runs back towards his own goal) and unfortunately for us, he doesn’t fuck it up and slides it across for Sancho to run into an empty net.  Bollocks.

We have to stay in it for a while now and it would help if we got close to Pogba.  Far from being some sort of weak link, Pogba is running the show.  The way to stop him is to crowd him out but we are competing with him 1 v 1 and he’s just too powerful to defend like that.  We have to get around him because at the moment he is killing us.  Anyway, Romeu Armstrong and JWP get us back on the front foot with some nice interplay around the immobile lump that is Luke Shaw, which ends in Stuart Armstrong firing wide of the near post with his left foot.

United have become known at the last few weeks for playing for half an hour and then losing their Mojo, or rather, losing their willingness to run.  The same appears to have happened here as KWP again gets free on the right and fires a ball right across the six yard line but no one attacks it.

As we approach Half time there is an opportunity for our new special move which I’m sure is going to feature on the next release of FIFA. It is of course Salisu launching a long throw into the box. In it comes and it’s flicked on by Pogba and Stuart Armstrong tries to acrobatically hook it into the net as it bounces high up off the floor but can’t quite get enough on it and de Gea pulls off a good diving catch for the cameras.

One more chance before half time and after some great play through midfield, Elyounoussi finds Perraud, who jinks in past Dalot before swinging his right foot at it, forcing De Gea into a relatively comfortable save

Half time and 1-0 down really isn’t too bad.  We’ve shown real signs of getting back into it for the last 15 minutes and I don’t think United have any higher gears to click into, whereas we do.  I can’t see United being as defensively disciplined in the second half – Pogba and Fernandes have stayed pretty close to McTominay in midfield but they won’t keep that up for another 45.  Another reason for optimism is that looking at the United bench, I don’t see any game changers.  Lingard and Elanga look the best of a very average bunch.

Hard Working Striker Is Rewarded

Away we go, two minutes later and Romeu flicks the ball out to Perraud on the left hand side who in turn, knocks in to Elyounoussi, who has not been tracked by anybody.  He slides the ball in between the centre backs to Adams, who bears down on goal, opens his body out and side foots is it superbly on the inside of the far post. There is a heart in mouth moment because it looks like it’s going to hit the post and come out but it pings back across and nestles in the corner of the net. 1-1, get in. There is a slight worry about offside but one look says that Shaw’s arse has played Adams clearly onside.

United are over the place when we break on them.  KWP breaks and plays a 1-2 with Broja and eventually passes it into Armstrong, who seems to almost be falling over the ball as he has a go with his left from the edge of the box and puts it wide.  Broja shows his power when he picks the ball up on halfway and sets off towards goal.  Shaw can’t be bothered to run so he just hands onto his shirt like a water-skier. It takes a powerful man to keep running with Pizza Boy holding on to your shirt.  Atwell waves play on and Broja lets fly from 20 yards and de Gea beats it away for a corner.  Atwell of course goes back and books Shaw for a very obvious yellow card offence…. No he doesn’t.  Did you forget Stuart?  I know you waved play on but it was literally on 3 seconds later that the ball went dead.

Shaw’s next involvement it’s a fine ball forward which KWP accidentally handles so it’s a free kick out on the left, about 25 yards out.  Shaw swings it in and it drops for Maguire to poke goalward and Fraser kicks it away rather than try to fall on it.  Shaw then clips one over the top which Stephens misses and Ronaldo smashes it straight at Forster who saves, Salisu clears, United get it back into the box and Dalot smashes it near post but you’re not beating The Wall from there.  Ronaldo and Fernandes throw their arms to the sky.  Standard.

Having weathered that, it’s our turn again and Saints create the best chance of the second half with JWP and Romeu combining with Elyounoussi to tee-up Armstrong on the left.  I am waiting for the net to bulge but his hair is fine and he lashes over the bar this time. Fuck…. Big chance, Stu knows it, Ralph knows it.

Rather than be disappointed, we have another go as Broja wins the ball of McTominay in midfield and Romeu knocks it up to Elyounoussi, who waits and then plays a lovely ball and we have the contest we’ve been waiting for.  Armando vs Harry and his Caravan.  Broja of course has too much pace for the Caravan Man and gets there first but seems to get his feet all mixed up and tries to chip it over de Gea but ends up squirting the ball sideways and United get away with it again.

Offside for Dummies

United win a free kick out on our left.  In comes the cross and we hold our line as we do and Ronaldo stoops to head it into the net.  Everyone instinctively knows that it is offside and the flag goes up.  United, led as usual by Bruno Fernandes and Ronaldo are round the referee pleading pathetically.  Off we go to VAR.

“Hi there, Stockley Park speaking, hi there Stuart”
“Can you check for offside for me… well actually, can you check for Bruno Fernandes?”
“Ok…. Checked it…. the magic number is 5”
“5 yards onside?…. So a goal then?”
“No… 5 of them offside by 5 yards”
“So no goal then, lino was right….what’s that Bruno?....”
[muffled whining from Bruno]
“…Bruno says it was flicked on and therefore a different phase and a therefore a goal”
“Um… the guy who he thinks flicked it on was offside… and he didn’t flick it on, he missed it… and even if he had flicked it on, there are loads of them offside”
[loud noise comes over the wire in Stockley Park]
“Stuart – has he stolen your microphone?”
“It’s a goal, pleeeeeeease, we at Old Trafford, it Ronaldo goal, he very old, we desperate, pleeeeease, I am Bruno, I referee, you report to me, I in charge”
“Bruno – it’s offside.  You’re offside, Ronaldo’s offside, Sir Alex is in the stand and he’s offside and Scholesey’s in the BT Studio and he’s offside, every fucker is offside, it’s not a goal, you’re not the referee, stop being a twat and please give the microphone back to Stuart – thank you”

Pleeeeeeeease!

So, a five-minute pointless review on VAR later and we get back to it.  What the fuck were they asking for?

Tino Livramento is on for Elyounoussi now, with KWP moving further forward.  United are clearly rattled and there’s a bit of push and shove between Fernandes and JWP whilst Tino is waiting to take a throw in.  A brief wrestle ends up with Bruno quite clearly throwing a punch which doesn’t connect.  Next on the scene is Romeu, followed by some United players.  Bearing in mind we had a 5 minute VAR check for a goal where 5 players were offside, I can’t wait for this to be reviewed….. nothing….. still nothing…… tumbleweed.
 

There is another meeting between Broja and Maguire straight after that as Broja gets put away on the left-hand side and burns past despite having to take the long route around Maguire and his caravan.  Broja gets into the box before having to turn out and Maguire arrives and clumsily runs into him and then treads on him as he goes to follow the ball.  Standing on him looked accidental but the original contact is surely worth another look on VAR.  Hello?  Hello?  Unfortunately, Atwell has not given the penalty so there’s probably no point in having a look because it’s not “obviously” wrong.

Harry Maguire (out of shot)

Che Adams is getting through a ridiculous amount of defensive work but he gets back to foul Lingard on the left.  In comes the free-kick from Shaw, the ball plops of Maguire’s head and Fraser plunges down to his left to scoop the ball out.  When it comes back in he catches it and rolls about with it, in quality shithouse behaviour.  Game over.

Another belting performance by the boys and a totally deserved point. Overall, I’d say United shaded the first half and we shaded the second and I feel that we could’ve won it with just a little bit more belief. We looked a bit leggy for the first 20 minutes we can probably be explained by the quick turnaround but as we grow into the game after we got our equaliser, we looked stronger and stronger. Big performances all round again from Fraser right through to Armando. Che Adams got a brilliant goal today which is overall performance deserved and though it didn’t happen often enough, any clash between Broja and either Maguire or Shaw was as hilarious as you could hope for. Maguire, fucking hell, talk about towing a caravan. Our back four were largely excellent again and it was pretty seamless when Bednarek went off and Jack Stephens came on. Overall, Jack did a great job considering he hasn’t played that often recently.

Where can we have done better? Shooting.  Stuart Armstrong should’ve got that one on target in the second half and that’s my main criticism, that we didn’t work de Gea enough.  There was a chance is there to win the game but the fact I’m even thinking of those terms after getting a point at Old Trafford it’s testament to how well we played.  In the main we nullified them and the only time I was worried was when they broke on us.  There felt like no way that they were going to pick their way through us.  The work ethic was superb from everyone, personified by Che Adams who kept turning up in defence when United did break on us.  United could only dream that Ronaldo, Rashford and Sancho had that desire the defend for the team.

I find myself in the strange position of having to find some praise Stuart Atwell who has been shocking up here in this fixture before. Today he was pretty good especially in the second half when he had to deal with the hissy fits and histrionics that go with United not getting everything their own way.  Sure, he wasn’t harsh enough with the cards, even though they got 4 and we got 0, but I’ll take that because we didn’t get any shockers.  VAR let him down (in my opinion) on the Broja penalty shout and VAR was also absent without leave when that complete dick Bruno Fernandes quite literally swung a punch.  He missed because he’s a complete fanny but that’s no reason for VAR not to review it – mental.  Surely he can’t say that he saw that and dealt with it.  Not that a retrospective ban is any use to us but Fernandes deserves one, the little shite.  Miraculously, since the game, a video that no one has seen shows that Fernandes was merely freeing his arm so he won’t be charged.  You have to laugh.

Luke Shaw, in one of his fat, can’t be bothered to run moments, got away with grabbing hold of Broja’s shirt as he went towards goal. The referee really should’ve come back and booked him for that even though play went on.

Ralph had a good day against Ralf.  I’ve not really paid much attention to Ralf Rangnick but in his interviews, he comes across as a decent guy who is on a hiding to nothing with a bunch of players with 10/10 reputations as individuals and 3/10 application as team players.  Others are big name international players who have that status because they play for United and not because they are actually that good.  Ralph pointing out that it is no secret that some of the United players aren’t too good in reverse gears when they lose the ball has caused a bit of a shit storm.  Virtually all pundits have come down on his side, notably Gary Neville who called it an embarrassing indictment of where United are.  You could certainly point a finger in that regard at Ronaldo, Sancho, Rashford, Pogba and Fernandes.

Personally, I’d like to point a middle-finger at McTominay, even though he has a thankless task playing in midfield with those lazy players all around him.  He was the biggest most arrogant twat of all last year when they beat us 9-0 a year ago.  Not so Billy Big Bollocks today with Romeu playing, were you?  It’s a bit of a big step from where we were a year ago to where we are now.  I know it’s only a draw but the significance is worth rather more than that.  A draw for us at Old Trafford will always be a superb result for us and a poor one for them.

A few weeks ago we were all thinking the run of City at home, Spurs away and United away, would’ve yielded a big zero points but as it is we are undefeated in those three games and have five points.  Next up is Everton at home, another one which would probably have realistically been in the zero points category but the way we are playing right now, bring it on and let’s see if we can show yet another new manager that there is no magic fix and that it takes time, hard work and having players who are willing and able to put the work in.