VIEW FROM THE SHEETS
By Editor
Updated Sunday, 22nd February 2004
Team selection to blame?
Grauniad
‘Sir Alex Ferguson questioning
Arsenal's ability to handle the
pressure, Roy Keane issuing his annual state of the nation
address to criticise and belittle his team-mates - it must
be that time of year again when Manchester United get down
to the serious business of winning the title.
‘The timing of those two pronouncements last week owed nothing to
coincidence and everything to the fact that there was a
tacit acknowledgement within Old Trafford, and even their
most optimistic followers, that their north London rivals
were firmly in the driving seat at the top of the table.
‘By early afternoon yesterday, and following the latest in a series
of unconvincing displays, concerns among Manchester United
supporters should have extended well beyond takeover bids
from racehorse and American football club owners.
‘Yet United's problems extend beyond the league standings. Mikael
Silvestre limped off to be replaced by the increasingly
inept Wes Brown in a porous defence, Kleberson was woeful,
an attack without Louis Saha, injured in training on Friday,
lacked teeth and the home side, until Keane replaced
Kleberson just before the hour, looked generally sub-par.
The midweek Champions' League tie with Porto is hardly
coming at an ideal time.
‘Leeds were there for the taking. Without the suspended Mark Viduka
and Paul Robinson, and with an 18-year-old goalkeeper in
Scott Carson, whose Premiership career amounted to one
substitute minute before yesterday.
‘When Rio Ferdinand started his eight-month suspension four games
ago, United led the table by one point - that could yet
prove to be the most salient statistic of the current
campaign.’
Telegraph:
‘There can be no doubt that Manchester United are not the potent
force of old. Without Roy Keane, who started on the bench -
presumably with Wednesday's Champions League game in Porto
in mind - and Louis Saha, who had taken a knock in training
on Friday, they lacked cohesion, precision and exactly the
sort of passion for which Keane had called in what has
become his annual mid-season rant.
‘United improved noticeably after manager Sir Alex Ferguson was
obliged to throw his fiery captain into the fray after 58
minutes. To make matters worse, the twisted knee and ankle
suffered by French centre-back Mikael Silvestre in the first
half must rule him out of the trip to Porto and leave an
already suspect defence even more vulnerable.
‘The only excuses he (Fergie) could offer for an "off colour"
performance, one that leaves United a daunting seven points
behind Arsenal in the title race, were the toll taken by
having 12 players away on international duty during the week
and the surprisingly poor playing surface. He was realistic
enough, though, to admit: "It is a big mountain to climb
now. It is achievable, but this is as big a mountain as we
have had to climb."’
Indie:
‘Sir Alex Ferguson, the reputed master of mind games, is going to
need all his mental powers if he is to persuade his players
they can revive their challenge for the Premiership title.
The great man might also have a few words for himself too.
‘The Manchester United manager gambled on fielding a weakened side
and was repaid by them failing to beat a
Leeds United who
had entered the game with estimates of their chances akin to
cannon fodder. With Arsenal defeating
Chelsea, it means
Ferguson's team are now seven points adrift in second place.
‘Given the need to stay on the Gunners' shoulders, questions that
came to mind were why Ferguson changed his team and why he
adopted the tactics he did. Louis Saha was injured in
training on Friday and was out but Roy Keane and Ronaldo
were rested and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made it only to the
bench.
‘Those decisions might be justified in the light of Wednesday's
Champions' League match in Porto, but a line-up that had the
out-of-touch Kleberson as the support striker to Ruud van
Nistelrooy rather than Paul Scholes or Ryan Giggs, was less
easy to fathom.
‘It was with a growing frustration that Ferguson produced his trump
card by bringing on Keane just before the hour and he was
rewarded almost immediately when the home side took the
lead. Gary Neville passed low from the right and although
Carson did well to get a touch, it bounced invitingly and
Scholes, the arch pickpocket, swooped on the rebound from
mugging range.
‘The scene was set for a relatively comfortable stroll in the final
25 minutes but Leeds disrupted the garden party with a goal
of their own. Smith had done splendidly as a lone foil, but
on this occasion he was joined by colleagues, and when
Didier Domi crossed from the left, the England striker rose
to head emphatically past Tim Howard.
‘"It's a big mountain to climb now," Ferguson said of the
championship race, "but it's achievable. It's amazing what
this side can do when they get in their stride." The
important word in that sentence is "when".’
Times:
‘“One Peter Ridsdale!” sang the Manchester United fans. “Face like
a donkey!” replied the Leeds support as Ruud van Nistelrooy
chased a ball. There was cross-Pennine rivalry at Old
Trafford yesterday but for once it seemed more vaudeville
than visceral — less War of the Roses, in character, than
flower show. In these muted surroundings, not with a bang
but a whimper, the title was all but surrendered to Arsenal.
‘Comebacks can never be entirely ruled out with Manchester United,
but as well as the seven-point gap between the reigning
champions and their Highbury challengers, there appears
increasingly to be a gulf in resolve. United overhauled
Arsenal when facing a six-point deficit last year, but then
they were gathering momentum as Arsenal were losing nerve.
Now, the situation is reversed.
‘Once again, cracks at the back undid United, who have conceded 11
goals in their last five games. Given the lead by Paul
Scholes in the 64th minute they held firm for all of 180
seconds. “That’s not good enough,” as Ferguson said. From
out on the left, Didier Domi shaped a cross into the six-
yard box where Alan Smith, more alert than the static Wes
Brown and John O’Shea, got up to bury a header.
‘United were not helped, however, by their manager’s team
selection. As well as leaving Keane on the bench, Ferguson
elected to play Kleberson behind Van Nistelrooy, so Scholes
was shunted out of position on to the right flank. Not until
the insipid Kleberson was removed did Scholes come into the
centre and, with that, the game.’
