Normally when John O’Shea comes on you sense Fergie has decided to shut up shop. So to see O’Shea perform like the artful dodger and pinch three points in front of the Kop was more than just a moment to remember. The result effectively ended Liverpool’s domestic season and gave United further belief that this is their year. Beneath the wild cheers of the travelling support you could clearly hear the groan of Liverpool fans. Fainter still – but still significant – was the sound of disappointment coming from West London.
Once again United emerged with 3 points from a game that had suggested a draw. Last week it was Ronaldo’s moment of individual brilliance. This was O’Shea’s moment. Liverpool could scarcely believe what had happened as John O’Shea span away to celebrate.
Football can be a cruel game. But it hands out pleasure in equal doses. Liverpool can and will consider themselves unlucky. But it was concentration that cost them. Ronaldo’s fierce strike from the freekick was well watched by Reina, particularly as Saha had come across him and the ball had moved on its way. In fact he did well to prevent it going straight in. But it was his team-mates that decided to simply stop and watch as O’Shea knocked in the simplest of chances. And that was the difference. That is not about luck. That is football.
Liverpool fans will point out that the momentum had long been with their team, that they had more possession and so have a right to feel aggrieved by the loss of all three points. Although Liverpool managed to the put the ball in the back of the net, which was rightly ruled out for offside, it couldn’t have escaped the attention of their supporters that Benitez’s team still lack a finisher. Wasn’t it strange that Benitez came out to describe Fowler as the best finisher at the club? Not because it was said of Fowler, but if he believed that why didn’t he do something about it rather spending so much money on Kuyt and Bellamy? Kuyt is a good player and has 10 goals this season but arguably Benitez may have been wiser to go for Berbatov who has scored 16. And Bellamy has scored 8 goals this season. That is 10 less than his replacement (McCarthy) at Blackburn. It is also two less than Ole Gunner Solksjaer. In fact, Crouch was for every reason Liverpool’s biggest threat on Saturday and he started on the bench, despite having scored 13 times this season.
Bellamy did cause United some problems by drifting into the space between Evra and Vidic. And he did well to drag Vidic out of his comfort zone and at times exposed the Serbian’s lack of pace when in the corners. But with Kuyt also dropping deep to receive there was little left in the penalty area to have a chance on goal. And when it finally did come it was generally well looked after the magnificent Rio Ferdinand and Edwin Van der Saar.
This was the best game I have seen Ferdinand have for some time. He was commanding rather than casual and decisive rather than deft with his touch. He was very well supported by the impressive Van der Saar who pulled off a number of important catches when the crosses entered the area at height and speed. He also pulled of a wonderful save to deny Peter Crouch and deny Liverpool a way back in to the match.
If we compare Liverpool’s wingers to Ronaldo and Giggs it is clear that both Pennant and Gonzalez come up short. Neither looks capable of that bit of brilliance. Whereas Giggs has shown it on and off for a staggering 700 games and Ronaldo continues to show it week in week out this season. Therefore, it was no surprise that it was Ronaldo who demonstrated in one move how lethal he could be when running direct at Liverpool. After skinning Riise with an outlandish nutmeg he raced at Liverpool’s penalty area and with one step over at full speed left Agger in his wake only for his shot on goal to be thwarted by the outstretched leg of Carrigher. No Liverpool player appeared to have the ability to do something out of nothing.
I was impressed with United’s ability to cope with the pressure Liverpool and the occasion put on them. But I was disappointed at how often our attacks fizzled out when a better final ball was needed. All too often Rooney’s flick or Larsson’s touch was not what it should have been. Admittedly a lot was asked of them when the game plan was too deploy Scholes and Carrick in front of the back four, meaning there was a bigger gulf than normal between midfield and attack. The gap certainly made it difficult for Larsson to have a real impact, although his technique and ability was demonstrated in an instant with a beautiful and clever back flick to lay the ball off for Ronaldo to uncharacteristically waste.
The Guardian saw fit today to describe United’s midfield as ‘porous’, a strange comment given the achievements of the season and the success in this game. But then they also gave the Man of the Match award to Jamie Carragher rather than Rio Ferdinand, despite Carragher’s nasty challenge (which incidentally failed to spark a millennium style fight) on Rooney and despite Liverpool losing. Carragher played well but was not better than Ferdinand or Van der Saar.
United’s midfield sat deeper but you are mistaken if you see this as anything other than tactical. Very little in Liverpool red got through it. Scholes and Carrick soaked up stray passes – particularly from Sissoko – and got their foot in when required. They also found time to retain possession when under pressure and fed Ronaldo and Giggs with well placed passes. Ultimately, their game plan cancelled out the supposed threat of Sissoko and Alonso. In fact the danger for United were passes out wide to Gerrard, who caused Evra a number of problems when driving forward on the inside right channel. Fergie saw fit to rectify this by bringing on the more defence minded Silvestre (what must Heinze be thinking). Fergie then moved Rooney out wide and instructed Giggs to operate in the centre of a 5man midfield. He also replaced Larsson with Saha as a direct response to the changes made by Benitez.
It wasn’t long before Rooney made a burst down the left flank, raising his foot to reach the ball before Carragher – whose mistimed and ugly challenge saw him catch Rooney around the knee and ended the young player’s involvement in the game. As Rooney hobbled off, O’Shea prepared himself to come on. As a substitution it appeared to have 0-0 written all over it.
John O’Shea is accepted as a Manchester United player but not loved. Indeed people next had earlier been asking me why he was even on the bench in the first place and why Fergie so often sees fit to play him in midfield. Sometimes it is difficult question to answer – after all, his ‘natural position’ is in defence. He is generally seen as ‘make-do’ option when he comes off the bench and is often greeted with a mix of concern and condemnation when he starts in central midfield. But there comes a time when we should praise a player that works his bollocks off for the team and the manager and accepts his role at United. And on Saturday, John O’Shea got his reward. And he got it by scoring in front of the Kop. Does it get any better?
Once again United emerged with 3 points from a game that had suggested a draw. Last week it was Ronaldo’s moment of individual brilliance. This was O’Shea’s moment. Liverpool could scarcely believe what had happened as John O’Shea span away to celebrate.
Football can be a cruel game. But it hands out pleasure in equal doses. Liverpool can and will consider themselves unlucky. But it was concentration that cost them. Ronaldo’s fierce strike from the freekick was well watched by Reina, particularly as Saha had come across him and the ball had moved on its way. In fact he did well to prevent it going straight in. But it was his team-mates that decided to simply stop and watch as O’Shea knocked in the simplest of chances. And that was the difference. That is not about luck. That is football.
Liverpool fans will point out that the momentum had long been with their team, that they had more possession and so have a right to feel aggrieved by the loss of all three points. Although Liverpool managed to the put the ball in the back of the net, which was rightly ruled out for offside, it couldn’t have escaped the attention of their supporters that Benitez’s team still lack a finisher. Wasn’t it strange that Benitez came out to describe Fowler as the best finisher at the club? Not because it was said of Fowler, but if he believed that why didn’t he do something about it rather spending so much money on Kuyt and Bellamy? Kuyt is a good player and has 10 goals this season but arguably Benitez may have been wiser to go for Berbatov who has scored 16. And Bellamy has scored 8 goals this season. That is 10 less than his replacement (McCarthy) at Blackburn. It is also two less than Ole Gunner Solksjaer. In fact, Crouch was for every reason Liverpool’s biggest threat on Saturday and he started on the bench, despite having scored 13 times this season.
Bellamy did cause United some problems by drifting into the space between Evra and Vidic. And he did well to drag Vidic out of his comfort zone and at times exposed the Serbian’s lack of pace when in the corners. But with Kuyt also dropping deep to receive there was little left in the penalty area to have a chance on goal. And when it finally did come it was generally well looked after the magnificent Rio Ferdinand and Edwin Van der Saar.
This was the best game I have seen Ferdinand have for some time. He was commanding rather than casual and decisive rather than deft with his touch. He was very well supported by the impressive Van der Saar who pulled off a number of important catches when the crosses entered the area at height and speed. He also pulled of a wonderful save to deny Peter Crouch and deny Liverpool a way back in to the match.
If we compare Liverpool’s wingers to Ronaldo and Giggs it is clear that both Pennant and Gonzalez come up short. Neither looks capable of that bit of brilliance. Whereas Giggs has shown it on and off for a staggering 700 games and Ronaldo continues to show it week in week out this season. Therefore, it was no surprise that it was Ronaldo who demonstrated in one move how lethal he could be when running direct at Liverpool. After skinning Riise with an outlandish nutmeg he raced at Liverpool’s penalty area and with one step over at full speed left Agger in his wake only for his shot on goal to be thwarted by the outstretched leg of Carrigher. No Liverpool player appeared to have the ability to do something out of nothing.
I was impressed with United’s ability to cope with the pressure Liverpool and the occasion put on them. But I was disappointed at how often our attacks fizzled out when a better final ball was needed. All too often Rooney’s flick or Larsson’s touch was not what it should have been. Admittedly a lot was asked of them when the game plan was too deploy Scholes and Carrick in front of the back four, meaning there was a bigger gulf than normal between midfield and attack. The gap certainly made it difficult for Larsson to have a real impact, although his technique and ability was demonstrated in an instant with a beautiful and clever back flick to lay the ball off for Ronaldo to uncharacteristically waste.
The Guardian saw fit today to describe United’s midfield as ‘porous’, a strange comment given the achievements of the season and the success in this game. But then they also gave the Man of the Match award to Jamie Carragher rather than Rio Ferdinand, despite Carragher’s nasty challenge (which incidentally failed to spark a millennium style fight) on Rooney and despite Liverpool losing. Carragher played well but was not better than Ferdinand or Van der Saar.
United’s midfield sat deeper but you are mistaken if you see this as anything other than tactical. Very little in Liverpool red got through it. Scholes and Carrick soaked up stray passes – particularly from Sissoko – and got their foot in when required. They also found time to retain possession when under pressure and fed Ronaldo and Giggs with well placed passes. Ultimately, their game plan cancelled out the supposed threat of Sissoko and Alonso. In fact the danger for United were passes out wide to Gerrard, who caused Evra a number of problems when driving forward on the inside right channel. Fergie saw fit to rectify this by bringing on the more defence minded Silvestre (what must Heinze be thinking). Fergie then moved Rooney out wide and instructed Giggs to operate in the centre of a 5man midfield. He also replaced Larsson with Saha as a direct response to the changes made by Benitez.
It wasn’t long before Rooney made a burst down the left flank, raising his foot to reach the ball before Carragher – whose mistimed and ugly challenge saw him catch Rooney around the knee and ended the young player’s involvement in the game. As Rooney hobbled off, O’Shea prepared himself to come on. As a substitution it appeared to have 0-0 written all over it.
John O’Shea is accepted as a Manchester United player but not loved. Indeed people next had earlier been asking me why he was even on the bench in the first place and why Fergie so often sees fit to play him in midfield. Sometimes it is difficult question to answer – after all, his ‘natural position’ is in defence. He is generally seen as ‘make-do’ option when he comes off the bench and is often greeted with a mix of concern and condemnation when he starts in central midfield. But there comes a time when we should praise a player that works his bollocks off for the team and the manager and accepts his role at United. And on Saturday, John O’Shea got his reward. And he got it by scoring in front of the Kop. Does it get any better?
To see the goal, click here
Player ratings: Van der Saar 7, Neville 6, Ferdinand 8, Vidic 6, Evra 6, Ronaldo 7, Scholes 7, Carrick 6, Giggs 6, Rooney 6, Larsson 6
Man of the match: Rio Ferdinand
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