Date: 28th February 2011 at 3:21am
Written by:
"Don't worry Wazza, the Chelsea game will be pants anyway"

"Don't worry Wazza, the Chelsea game will be pants anyway"

An away game, three points,four goals scored- including a first for Fabio and a clean sheet, United’s trip to the DW was the sort of result we’ve been crying for on the road this season.

Like much of what’s gone on this season for the Reds despite the obvious plus points there was still room for a bit of negativity. Elbow-gate has almost overshadowed what should have been a perfect weekend then there was ipod-gate which depending on your point of view, was either totally insignificant or an absolute disgrace- don’t fret I’ve got more than a few words to share on the subject later.

Overall though, I’m yet to spoiled enough as a United fan to watch my team win four -nil away from home to go four points clear at the top and then start moaning, it was a great result and just the tonic following the disappointing away trips to Wolves and Marseille.

So what did we learn from Saturday’s game with the Pie Eaters other than if you’re facing United relaying you pitch is not a good idea.

5. Sir Alex’s transfer policy makes a lot of sense. You’ve got to love that stubborn grey haired Scottish chap that delivers the trophies to Old Trafford every season. You know the one who has a phobia of Match of the Day. Sir Alex Ferguson has always claimed that the transfer market has become over-inflated and he’s not going to get his pants pulled down- or kilt pulled up, when it comes to signings. Some have claimed this is merely a ruse designed to mask the club’s financial impotence, but for me Fergie’s words ring true.

When  you see unproven strikers, anonymous midfielders, or barely above average defenders going for upwards of £20 million then the £15-18 million spent on Chicharito and Smalling -depending on your sources- is an absolute steal.

If I was a Liverpool or Manchester City fan -in between punching myself in the face- I’d be looking somewhat enviously at the transfer policy that the most successful manager in club football operates at United. While our rivals are forced to spend over £100 million on anything from an out of form striker to an injured, unproven one, we can sit and admire a pair of superb young players who are already worth at least double what we paid for them. Forget the money though, I’m hoping messrs Smalling and Chicharito are here for a very long time to come.

4. He’s not the Messiah- he’s a very naughty boy. Okay I said I wasn’t going to moan, but can I at least express some frustration. Rooney’s arm, elbow, attempt to run past James McCarthy was a reckless display of idiocy which could have repercussions. However, allow me to defend the indefensible for one moment and say this, Wazza’s been criticised for many things this season and most of them rightly so but you take away the fire in his belly and you’ll lose a lot of what he’s about. I’m not saying he should run around tw*tting people, but that aggression is exactly what some fans were lamenting the loss of at certain points of this season.

I want to see Rooney channeling his ebullience in the right way and he may well receive a ban and a b*llocking off Sir Alex to boot, but despite his lacklustre performance, at least he got only his second away goal of the season and still has that zestful edge. It was stupid but sometimes that’s part and parcel of certain players- let’s not forget even Keano had his occasional vendettas that had to be fulfilled -Shearer, Inge-Haaland- no matter what the consequences.

3. Turn off the Ipod and watch the f*cking game will ya! Seeing two players who’ve had ‘mixed’ seasons to say the least, sitting there listening to Marillion and Foreigner respectively- I have it on good authority…honest- is a tad perturbing to say the least. I’m sorry if getting paid thousands of pounds per week isn’t enough to make you want to fully watch the game without the use of audio distractions then something’s a little amiss.

Although I don’t buy into the whole “that’s it they’ve gotta go” brigade, both Bebe and Obertan should be reminded that ‘playing’ for United means at least looking like you want to be there. They’ll learn, I’m sure of it and if they don’t at least play The Stone Roses or The Courteeners and drop the power ballads lads.

2. Fabio let’s not forget about him. In all the hullabaloo over his more prominent identical sibling, it was nice to see Fabio Da Silva get on the score sheet and enjoying a bit of limelight for himself- which he immediately tried to share with his brother during his celebration- aww bless. Fabio’s had his injury problems and has never quite seemed to be able to generate the level of performance his brother does.

Fabio’s an amazing talent who’s unfortunate in that he has the world’s greatest left back ahead of him, while his brother has John O’Shea…..

1. Paul, Edwin, PLEASE DON’T GO! Buying Chris Smalling may have solved one of the biggest problems facing Sir Alex this season, but are there actually two players available anywhere who are as good as Van Der Sar and Scholes on their day? I don’t mean to sound OTT but I genuinely believe there isn’t, the best we can hope for is a pair of very good replacements who are almost as good.

Both were outstanding against Wigan and made me feel that if they’re fit for the Champion’s league we genuinely have a chance of beating anyone, although VDS is definitely on his way there’s a chance Scholes may give it another season, I’m praying he does as whoever comes in will only learn from him. Gibson already seems to be picking up a few passing tips.

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5 responses to “Five Things We Learned From United Against Wigan”

  1. MyCow says:

    Scholes was pretty “OK” defi not “outstanding” imo.

    • Justin Mottershead says:

      Despite one mistake I thought he controlled the game, perhaps he wasn’t ‘outstanding’ by his standards, but if Carrick or Anderson produced a performance like that people would be drooling. He was class and always is.

      • MyCow says:

        No doubt about that. Barring a lil part of 1st half he was class. True i just said it like he was not ‘outstanding’ for his class. He was good no doubt

  2. Man United 1 (Manchester is RED) says:

    We learnt again what we have always known and that is the fact that the abu media/pundits will always be out to get United with them demanding Rooney gets banned, whiles ignoring it when it is other clubs, quite pathetic really. Fabio’s goal was awesome, the lad is so talented and deserved it, one day he will be our first choice. Chicharito is simply world class, no need to buy overrated average players at £20m+, we’ll just get gems like Hernandez and Smalling. Bring on the FA’s darling little Chelsea.

  3. Bert says:

    “Gibson already seems to be picking up a few passing tips.” I really thought I was going mental. So I wasn’t the only one to notice this. Gibson has been getting better and better the more games he plays. certainly worth a loan spell if a few games consecutively makes him perform like that.

    ..VDS Scholes and Giggs are the reason I am trying to build a time machine from spare microwave parts.. 😐